Miami, Florida – As fate would have it, the Fiesta Bowl will be the Miami Hurricanes facing an Ole Miss squad with homegrown talent. 13 players are from Florida, according to the Rebels’ roster. Out of those, 10 are from the southern and central regions of the state where the Canes actively recruit. Breaking down the 10 further, we have one senior, a junior, three sophomores, and five freshmen. Three in particular stand out for varied reasons. One is a backup quarterback from right here in Miami, the other is a standout among the freshmen, and the last is an ex-Hurricane himself.
These individuals signed on to former Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin’s vision, seemingly closing the door on a possible long-term future at the University of Miami. Of course, success, even playing time, is never a guarantee, but it does raise questions about what might’ve been if circumstances were different.
IT'S FIESTA TIME 🎉🏈
Who will win the Fiesta Bowl – @OleMissFB or @CanesFootball? pic.twitter.com/J29EvuImRj
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) January 2, 2026
Austin Simmons
The backup QB had six appearances this season, passing for 744 yards and four touchdowns, complemented by a rushing TD against five interceptions. He opened the season as the starter but got injured, losing the job to Trinidad Chambliss. He’s now hitting the transfer portal with Missouri the frontrunner. Back then, UM offered Austin Simmons a scholarship, and get this, his mother is a Miami alum. It wasn’t enough, but this is where it gets interesting. The four-star prospect from Pahokee High School initially committed to the Florida Gators but then flipped and reclassified from the 2025 class to the 2023 class, joining Ole Miss. Simmons was homeschooled, and the accelerated learning program helped skip the last two years.
This is what i will always remember about Austin Simmons pic.twitter.com/l06NAmPFYj
— John (@MattBeBald) January 2, 2026
He was drawn to being under Kiffin’s wing and also felt a connection to quarterbacks coach Charlie Weis Jr., an aspect in which the coaching staff excels in talent acquisition. At the time, Simmons was the No. 77-ranked prospect in the 2025 class, and Ole Miss was looking to add more depth to its QB Corps. Interestingly enough, Austin was also a dual athlete playing baseball for Doctors Charter School of Miami Shores. Simmons continued playing on the diamond as a reliever his freshman year, but readjusted his focus towards football. Coach Mike Bianco believed Simmons had high MLB draft potential. The Gators didn’t fret; they still had D.J. Lagway.
Winston Watkins
The freshman from Ft. Myers totaled 25 catches for 370 yards and a TD in his inaugural year. Winston Watkins got 24 offers, including UM, FSU, and UF. After visits to Ole Miss, South Carolina, and Indiana, among others, Watkins came away impressed with what Oxford offered, and the four-star prospect signed on December 4, 2024. Similar to Simmons, the young wide receiver liked Kiffin’s system and loved comparisons to ex-Ole Miss player Elijah Moore meshing well with wide receivers coach George McDonald.
Winston Watkins yet again pic.twitter.com/Ix71TjkbHz
— NFL Paint (@NFLPaint) October 25, 2025
Scouting reports say Watkins is an explosive slot receiver with top-tier quickness, agility, and route-running ability. Winston can turn short passes into big plays via impressive change-of-direction skills. He’s a bit on the smaller side, so bulking up is needed for an otherwise great asset with tons of upside, especially for spread offenses.
Chris Graves Jr.
Say hello to this familiar face! A four-star player out of Bishop Verot High School, Chris Graves committed to Miami over UF, LSU, and South Carolina. Considered one of the top athletes in the country at the time of his recruitment, Graves was a two-way player. He had 27 catches for 500 yards and four touchdowns paired with 26 tackles, four pass breakups, and one interception as a cornerback. 247Sports Composite ranked him the No. 161 overall prospect in his class.
— Chris Graves Jr (@D1Chris239) October 27, 2024
The expectation was that Graves would transition from a wide receiver to a full-time defensive back. Scouting praised his long stride, ball skills, arm length, and competitiveness. Graves can also abruptly change directions. In other words, he had a high ceiling. After one year at Miami, he was redshirted and then transferred out in July 2023, joining new defensive coordinator Pete Golding’s extensive efforts to rebuild the secondary. The youngster ultimately saw no action in his time at Coral Gables.
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