Ole Miss Football True Freshman Defender Continues Receiving Rave Reviews in Camp

Duncanville (Tex.) four-star edge rusher Landon Barnes has remained the talk of the town this offseason in Oxford with the Ole Miss Rebels true freshman turning heads early in Spring Camp.

Barnes signed with Pete Golding and Co. as one of the top defenders in the 2026 Recruiting Cycle with the Ole Miss coaching staff dipping into the Lone Star State for the elite EDGE.

The youngster checks in at a whopping 6-foot-3, 250 pounds with reviews galore rolling in this offseason after the first week-plus of Spring Camp.

Ole Miss defensive coordinator Bryan Brown revealed that Barnes will be a "household name" as the four-star defensive weapon navigates his first offseason with the program as his trajectory generates buzz for the Rebels.

“Landon Barnes is going to be a household name,” Brown said Friday after practice. “You can write that down. He’s a heck of a football player and he’s going to play for us this year for sure.”

He posted double-digit sacks and more than 20 pressures/tackles for loss as a senior at Duncanville (Texas) High School across his senior campaign.

But Barnes is also receiving rave reviews from his teammates in Oxford with edge rusher Kam Franklin giving the stamp of approval on Tuesday while addressing the media.

"Landon (Barnes) is an even better kid, but a great player too" - EDGE Kam Franklin
— The Rebel Walk (@TheRebelWalk) April 7, 2026

"Landon (Barnes) is an even better kid, but a great player too," Franklin said.

The Buzz: Landon Barnes' Ole Miss Bio

• Unanimous four-star prospect by all major national recruiting services
• Ranked as high as No. 100 nationally by Rivals, among the top-35 players overall in Texas by all major services
• Consensus top-30 edge defender, ranked as high as No. 14 edge by Rivals
• Member of ESPN 300, coming in at No. 266
• In varsity career, tallied 82 total tackles, 33.5 TFL, 13.0 sacks, 31 QB hurries, six passes defended, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries
• As a senior in 2025, had 21.0 TFL and 9.0 sacks alongside 23 pressures
• Helped Duncanville reach the Texas 6A D-I state semifinals as a junior in 2024
• Coached by Reginald Samples
• Chose Ole Miss over offers from Texas, Ohio State and LSU among others

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