Oxford native J.J. Pegues announced his intentions to transfer to Ole Miss Tuesday night, returning to Oxford after spending his first two collegiate seasons at Auburn.

The former Oxford High standout led the Chargers to the 6A state title as a versatile, two-way athlete his senior year. A four star prospect, he was ranked as the No. 6 athlete in the country and the No. 3 player in the state of Mississippi.

A versatile athlete, the six-foot-three, 308-pound Pegues played all over the field for Auburn, spending time as a wildcat quarterback, H-back and tight end before finally settling in on the defensive line.

He played 11 games on the offensive side of the ball for the Tigers as a true freshman, catching seven passes for 57 yards. He moved to the defensive side of the ball as a sophomore in 2021, recording 17 tackles in 13 games at defensive tackle.

Pegues is expected to immediately crack the defensive line rotation for the Rebels after the departures of Sam Williams, Quentin Bivens and Sincere David. Williams declared for the 2022 NFL Draft shortly after the Sugar Bowl, while Bivens transferred to Southern Miss following three seasons in Oxford. David is still looking for a new home after entering the transfer portal in December.