OXFORD ― Like a moth attracted to a flame, it's inevitable. Ole Miss football coach Lane Kiffin will find himself drawn in by the wide receiver offerings in the transfer portal.

He has brought at least three transfer wideouts to campus in each of the past three cycles. This offseason, he made a late addition, snagging Utah State transfer Micah Davis, who entered the portal in July after the Aggies fired coach Blake Anderson.

It wasn't exactly a position of need. Even before Davis' arrival, the Rebels had one of the deepest wide receiver rooms in college football. So what kind of role does Kiffin envision for the Atlanta native with one season of eligibility remaining?

"I think that he'll have an impact on special teams," Kiffin said Monday. "He was out there today already making a number of plays. I think he can play inside and outside as a receiver, unique skill set that way. We're very pleased to have him. Adds competition to that room and adds somebody that made some significant plays last year."

Special teams looks like a realistic path to playing time for Davis, who returned both punts and kicks last season at Utah State and received honorable mention All-Mountain West honors as a punt returner.

Pro Football Focus gave Davis an 86.1 punt-returning grade in 2023. Jordan Watkins, who handled most of Ole MIss' punt return duties, came away with a grade of 78.5.

Strictly in terms of production, Watkins was better than Davis last season, averaging 9.7 yards per return to Davis' 9.1. Remove a 70-yard return against FCS Mercer, though, and Watkins' average dips to 4.2.

As a team, Ole Miss averaged 14.2 yards per kickoff return attempt last season, with running back Ulysses Bentley IV handling the bulk of that load. Davis averaged 12.9 yards at Utah State in 2023.

With Bentley likely to see his role expand on offense following the departure of Quinshon Judkins, it might make sense for the Rebels to offload his kick return obligations to someone else. The portion of practice open to the media for observation has not yet included special teams periods.

And though his path to starting on offense likely involves unseating Juice Wells, Tre Harris or Watkins, Davis should be a capable depth piece for Kiffin to work with.

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He's versatile, playing 91 snaps in the slot for Utah State last season while lining up primarily outside. At Air Force, his first collegiate stop, he often played out of the backfield in an offense centered on the triple option. He rushed for 360 yards in 2021, then broke out as a more traditional receiver at Utah State in 2023, hauling in 36 passes for 628 yards and six touchdowns. He earned an All-Mountain West honorable mention for his work as a wideout, too.

"He's been an explosive player," Ole Miss receiver Cayden Lee said Monday. "Really good punt returner from what I've seen on film and his first couple days at practice."

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: What Lane Kiffin said of WR Micah Davis' role with Ole Miss football