Ole Miss Lands Memphis Tight End Caden Prieskorn

Lane Kiffin and the Ole Miss football program hosted eight transfer portal prospects last weekend, and on Monday hit paydirt with perhaps the most consequential visitor: University of Memphis tight end Caden Prieskorn. The 6’5, 255 lb junior caught 48 passes for 602 yards and seven scores in 2022. For context, Memphis’ leading receiver had 615 yards and seven TDs on the year. Prieskorn projects as a day-one starter at tight end for the Ole Miss offense, which has sorely lacked production from the position the last two seasons.

A native of Lake Orion, Michigan, Prieskorn was a high school quarterback in the 2019 signing class, whose career was hampered by an injury during a one year stop at Fork Union Military Academy, a postgraduate school. Prieskorn found himself walking on at Memphis as a tight end, completely new to the position. After a redshirt year and two years as a reserve, Prieskorn broke out in a big way in 2022, coming in 7th among FBS tight ends in receiving yards and tied for 5th among tight ends in touchdowns.

Prieskorn joins an Ole Miss tight end room that consists of Michael Trigg, Kyrin Heath, and incoming freshman Jayvontay Conner. Both Casey Kelly and Jonathan Hess could return in 2023, but Kelly is reportedly dealing with a serious offseason injury, and Hess would be entering his sixth year of college football with only two career receptions and an unfortunate injury history of his own.

We’re still waiting for any movement from six of the seven other visitors hosted by Ole Miss last weekend; quarterback Brady Allen exited the transfer portal after his visit, electing to return to Purdue. Ole Miss will likely land one of the other two visiting quarterbacks: former Vanderbilt starting QB Mike Wright and four-year Oklahoma State starter Spencer Sanders were also on campus. Also visiting were Oklahoma State wide receiver Bryson Green, Alabama offensive lineman Damieon George, Washington offensive lineman Victor Curne, and Ohio State defensive end Javontae Jean-Baptiste.