J.J. Pegues didn’t take long to announce his transfer destination from Auburn, and he’s staying in the SEC West.

Pegues, a defensive lineman and former 4-star recruit who began his career as a tight end, has committed to Ole Miss as the 6-foot-3, 308 pounder from Oxford, Miss. announced that he’s “coming home.”

“I’m back,” he wrote on social media.

Pegues initially received attention as a big-bodied target in Chad Morris’ offense in 2020, and he made 7 catches for 57 yards by playing in 11 games. He also carried the ball 5 times for 14 yards as a Wildcat quarterback.

However, 9 months ago, Bryan Harsin explained why the coaching staff moved Pegues to defense.

“J.J. is a guy now who has done a tremendous job working with the offense. We made that move and put him on the defensive line,” Harsin said, per the Auburn Rivals site. “I had a conversation with J.J. and this is what I am thinking, a guy like Pegues, and really anybody like this on the team, you have those conversations of ‘anything you need me to do.’ He is athletic. He can do a lot things. I think this position fits him. I think he is a really great culture guy to be in that room. I think he is a leader on this team.”