Ole Miss football, Lane Kiffin land Washington transfers Nate Kalepo and Julius Buelow

OXFORD — Ole Miss football and Lane Kiffin added two offensive linemen who played for Washington in the national championship game on Thursday.

Julius Buelow and Nate Kalepo, who both played as guards last season for the Huskies, announced their commitment to the Rebels. Both have one season of eligibility remaining.

Buelow, who is 6-foot-8, 313 pounds, started the final nine games of the season for Washington after missing time due to an injury. Kalepo, weighing in at 6-foot-6, 327 pounds, started all 15 of the Huskies' games in 2023.

The duo will add plenty of size to an Ole Miss offensive line that was overpowered at times last season. Buelow would have been the tallest player on the Rebels' roster a year ago. Along with tackle Micah Pettus, offensive line coach John Garrison now has four players with starting experience who are 6-foot-6 or taller.

At arguably its weakest position in 2023, Ole Miss will now have no shortage of options looking ahead to 2024.

The Rebels have already added starting North Carolina tackle Diego Pounds, as well as Southern Miss guard Gerquan Scott. Among their starters from last season, Pettus, Caleb Warren and Jeremy James are set to return. Jayden Williams, who started as a redshirt freshman in 2022 and replaced the injured Pettus last season, is also back.

It leaves Kiffin and Garrison with some sorting out to do as spring practice nears. But the Rebels look to have succeeded in raising their physicality quotient, something Kiffin said he was keen to do earlier this offseason.

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David Eckert covers Ole Miss for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at deckert@gannett.com or reach him on Twitter @davideckert98.

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This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Ole Miss transfers: Nate Kalepo, Julius Buelow of Washington added