Ex-South Alabama cornerback Ricky Fletcher headed to Ole Miss via transfer portal
Former South Alabama cornerback Ricky Fletcher will transfer to Ole Miss, according to multiple reports.
The 6-foot-3, 197-pound Fletcher missed the entire 2024 season with a back injury, but participated in spring practice before entering the transfer portal last week. The Durant, Miss., native was a 13-game starter for the Jaguars in 2023, totaling 39 tackles and 12 pass breakups.
Fletcher, a redshirt junior, has two years of eligibility remaining. He has not publicly announced his decision to join the Ole Miss program, but did share an On3 Sports Instagram post to that effect on his personal account Saturday:
South Alabama has now lost a starting defensive back to Ole Miss two years in a row. Safety Yam Banks — also a Mississippi native — played in 11 games and started six for the Rebels in 2024, totaling 21 tackles and three pass breakups before suffering a season-ending knee injury.
Fletcher is the second former South Alabama standout to transfer to a Power 4 conference school in this portal cycle, which runs through Wednesday. Quarterback Gio Lopez announced Thursday he was transferring to North Carolina.
South Alabama has had six players enter the transfer portal since the end of spring practice, including starting offensive tackle Malachi Carney. Also currently in the portal are reserve linebackers Gavin Forsha and Julien Demby, backup offensive guard Hayden Dozier and safety Lorenzo Smith, a junior-college transfer who joined the Jaguars just prior to spring practice.
South Alabama has added one portal transfer in the current cycle. Quarterback Zach Pyron, an Alabama native who played three seasons at Georgia Tech before spending this past spring at Minnesota, signed with the Jaguars on Friday.
South Alabama football spring 2025 transfer portal departures
OT Malachi Carney (2 years of eligibility)*
LB Julien Demby (3 years of eligibility)
OG Hayden Dozier (3 years of eligibility)
CB Ricky Fletcher (2 years of eligibility)^ — Ole Miss
LB Gavin Forsha (1 year of eligibility)#
QB Gio Lopez (3 years of eligibility)* — North Carolina
DB Lorenzo Smith (2 years of eligibility)
*— 2024 starter
# — 2024 part-time starter; did not participate in spring practice
^— 2023 starter
South Alabama football spring 2025 transfer portal additions
QB Zach Pyron, Minnesota (2 years of eligibility)