Lane Kiffin sends his loudest warning shot yet to Alabama, Georgia in transfer portal

Ole Miss Rebels head coach, social media master and trolling savant Lane Kiffin fancies himself the "Portal King" for his work in college football's infamous transfer portal. And with what he's doing in the 2023-24 offseason, who are we to argue with him?

His latest move might be the biggest yet, though. It had been predicted for some time that it would happen but it was made official on Sunday that former Texas A&M defensive tackle Walter Nolen, the top-ranked player in the transfer portal and the former No. 1 overall recruit in the country from the 2022 cycle, committed to Ole Miss, per multiple reports.

It was reported earlier in the week that Nolen had narrowed his list of possible landing spots down to the Rebels and the Oregon Ducks, but most still assumed he'd end up in Oxford with Kiffin. And they were ultimately right as the polarizing head coach has now added one of the most talented players in college football to a roster that is looking increasingly dangerous.

Ole Miss football: Lane Kiffin adds No. 1 recruit Walter Nolen to elite transfer class

Nolen is clearly the gem of Kiffin's transfer portal class this offseason, but the class as a whole is undeniably phenomenal. 247Sports has it rated as, by far, the highest-rated transfer class in the country.

That's no surprise considering that Nolen is the fourth player ranked inside the Top 15 of the 247Sports transfer portal rankings. The former Texas A&M 5-star joins former Florida edge rusher Princely Umanmielen, former Tennessee edge rusher Tyler Baron, and former South Carolina wide receiver Juice Wells in that group.

Beyond just those four inside the Top 15, Ole Miss has also landed commitment from two additional 4-star transfers, former Mississippi State cornerback Decamerion Richardson and former Arkansas linebacker Chris Paul Jr. Suffice it to say, Kiffin is making a splash for a roster that was already set to return key playmakers such as QB Jaxson Dart and RB Quinshon Judkins.

It's clear that Kiffin is sending a message to the likes of Alabama, Georgia, and even newcomers Texas and Oklahoma that they aren't just going to be a doormat in the new-look SEC; they are looking to be another Playoff contender among the other heavy hitters in the conference.

Of course, a big part of that is getting the results on the field which, after back-to-back 10-win seasons, Kiffin appears more than capable of bringing to the table for the Rebels. But with the talent upgrades he's now made to the roster, perhaps the ceiling is now even higher. More importantly and as music to the ears of the faithful fans in Oxford, maybe the likes of Alabama and Georgia should be scared.