Ole Miss head coach Pete Golding already has his 2025 explosive QB, Trinidad Chambliss, after he won an extra year of eligibility to play college football. However, due to uncertainty surrounding his situation, the Rebels brought in Auburn’s 5-star QB, Deuce Knight. Now, in the fourth week of the team’s spring practice, Knight is landing right on the money even as the backup QB position is still up for grabs.

“Deuce has continued to flash, obviously a real problem in plus-one runs with his size and speed,” Pete Golding said yesterday in a presser. “He’s doing a good job offensively, creating some of those issues. He had some big runs today. He’s getting better at delivering the football and making good decisions, which will continue to come with time.”

Apart from Deuce Knight and Trinidad Chambliss, Pete Golding also brought in Walker Howard from Louisiana to create a true QB competition in case Trinidad’s eligibility was denied. Howard brings 4 years of QB experience and played for Ole Miss in 2023 and 2024 before transferring. That gives Ole Miss head coach confidence in Walker Howard, despite Deuce Knight showing brilliance early.

“(Howard) understands exactly what we’re trying to accomplish, really smart, understands what the defense is trying to do, and what to get into, what to get out of, and where to go with the football,” Golding highlighted. “So it’s really nice to have a veteran guy in there that’s been in this system to help Trinidad and, from a leadership standpoint, for the young guys.”

Deuce Knight was a five-star recruit in Auburn’s 2025 class, ranked 56th nationally. Considering his talent and the fact that he passed for 2,067 yards and added 450 rushing yards in his senior year of high school, Auburn decided to build its roster around him. Deuce had no idea that the plans would change drastically when Hugh Freeze got fired mid-season. Now, at Ole Miss, he is still that talented QB, but winning the ‘future QB’ tag for Ole Miss isn’t straightforward. He also has sophomore QB, AJ Maddox, breathing down his neck for the spot.

“The evaluation of that position sometimes is a little tough based on who’s in the O Line, to be honest with you. I think they’re all in,” Golding said about QB competition. “I think AJ as well, you see the flashes of AJ, and then it’s the consistency to play at a position. Step in and snap out… I’d say they’ve all flashed. They’re all continuing to get better, which they need to.”

The competition behind Chambliss is a study in contrasts. While AJ Maddox, a three-star recruit, has seen limited action, Deuce Knight has already flashed his potential. In his start against Mercer last year, Knight not only demonstrated 75% passing efficiency but also showcased his physically imposing 6’4″ frame by rushing for 162 yards and four touchdowns, a performance that puts his dual-threat ability in sharp focus.

Deuce Knight is as athletic as QBs can get

Beyond being a dual-threat QB, Knight is also a southpaw with a smooth throwing motion, ripping the ball through tight lanes. Talk about his pocket presence? He tends to move left and attack the perimeter with accurate balls past the sticks. Although his arm talent can need a slight refinement, churning out those ground yards is where Deuce Knight becomes a lethal weapon.

Knight’s athleticism isn’t just impressive on film; it’s historically elite. His 42.5-inch vertical and 128.5-inch broad jump at last year’s Elite 11 regionals put him in the same rarefied air as Anthony Richardson, whose NFL Combine records are now within Knight’s reach. Combined with a blistering 4.5-second 40-yard dash, these metrics suggest a quarterback with game-breaking physical tools.

In his 2023 High School season, in addition to passing for 2,047 yards, he also rushed for 494 yards and scored 11 touchdowns. A year before that, as a sophomore, he again notched 488 yards for 12 touchdowns, carrying the ball 58 times. Combine it with Knight’s track and field background, as he became the long jump state champion twice, and Deuce looks like a legit player for Ole Miss to build the roster around him in the future.