Ole Miss sophomore linebacker Kevontae Ruggs has decided to transfer due to "personal" reasons, his mother, Nataki Ruggs, told the Montgomery Advertiser.

Kevontae Ruggs, the younger brother of Alabama junior receiver Henry Ruggs III, submitted his name into the NCAA transfer portal on Thursday afternoon, according to his mother. AL.com's Matt Zenitz was first to report the move.

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The 6-foot-3, 202-pound outside linebacker from Montgomery's Robert E. Lee High School was a three-star prospect in 2018 and chose Ole Miss over offers from in-state Alabama and Florida Atlantic.

Kevontae Ruggs started three games as a true freshman, racking up 16 total tackles, one fumble recovery and one quarterback hurry in 11 appearances last season.

The Ruggs family has dealt with tragedy recently following the passing of their cousin, 28-year-old Warrick Ruggs, who was shot and killed March 18 near his home on Taylor Street in Montgomery. Both Henry and Kevontae were deeply affected by their cousin's death and missed spring practice at their respective schools to attend their cousin's funeral March 30.

“Losing family, that’s big for just the family, but we’re just coming together and supporting each other,” Henry Ruggs told the Advertiser on March 29. “That’s my brother, that’s family of course, so I just got off the phone with him and he’s headed here from Mississippi. We come together and do what we have to do for family.”