Caden Prieskorn didn’t intend to leave Memphis.
The former walk-on from Lake Orion, Mich., met his girlfriend, Cali, in the city, and the couple’s son, Mac, was born there as well.
“I didn’t want to leave Memphis. My heart’s in Memphis. My family’s in Memphis,” Prieskorn told the (Memphis) Commerical-Appeal in mid-December. “I didn’t want to go anywhere else. I just wanted to finish my career in Memphis.”
Then things changed.
“It was really the opportunity to play at the highest level, and to complete against the best,” Prieskorn said Monday, a couple of hours after announcing on social media that he was transferring to Ole Miss.
Prieskorn, who was a quarterback in high school and spent a season at Fork Union (Va.) Military Academy before walking on at Memphis, chose Ole Miss over Louisville, Miami, Oregon and several other suitors. He will report to Oxford later this month for the start of the spring semester.
The 6-foot-6, 255-pound Prieskorn was second-team All-American Athletic Conference last season after catching 48 passes for 602 yards and seven touchdowns for Memphis. It was a breakout year for Prieskorn, who had caught just seven passes for 79 yards in the 2020 and 2021 seasons, combined.
“I loved everything when I got on campus, and everything about the coaching staff,” Prieskorn said. “They broke down stuff they’ve done in the past and even (at) previous schools utilizing the tight end position and it was very intriguing to me.”
Prieskorn should help shore up a critical need for Ole Miss. In 2022, USC transfer Michael Trigg played in just seven games, catching 17 passes for 156 yards and three touchdowns. Trigg was suspended from the program at one point, though he did return for the Rebels’ TaxAct Texas Bowl loss to Texas Tech in Houston on Dec. 28. Casey Kelly played in 11 games but caught just three passes for 17 yards and a touchdown. Kelly suffered a severe shoulder injury at the end of the season.
Prieskorn’s younger brother, Brady, is a coveted 2024 tight end prospect. The Rochester Hills, Mich., product is ranked by Rivals as the No. 70 prospect nationally. He already has some 30 offers, including Michigan and Michigan State plus multiple Southeastern Conference overtures (Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, LSU, Ole Miss, Tennessee and Texas A&M).
