'Felt Like Home': 2024 Four-Star DL Jeffery Rush Discusses Journey to Ole Miss
OXFORD, Miss. -- Four-star defensive lineman Jeffery Rush is one of the best players in the state of Mississippi in the 2024 recruitment cycle and recently had the opportunity to talk with the Locked On Ole Miss podcast about his decision to pledge to the Ole Miss Rebels.
Rush is rated as the No. 22 defensive lineman in the 2024 cycle and the No. 7 recruit in Mississippi, according to On3. The 6-2, 265-pound defensive lineman is one of three four-stars currently committed to Ole Miss and headlines the No. 28 recruiting class in the country.
Rush explained that the Rebels' coaching staff played a significant role in his decision, especially newly hired defensive coordinator, Pete Golding.
"[Ole Miss] just felt like home," Rush said. "I have a good relationship with coaches [Randall] Joyner and [Kelvin] Bolden. I like coach [Lane] Kiffin and I love coach [Pete] Golding. I feel like [Golding] is going to change the defense around as a whole. So I was thinking I have to be a part of this and secure my spot while I can."
The Pascagoula, Miss., native discussed Lane Kiffin's pitch to get him fully on board at Ole Miss.
"What got my attention was my role when I get to [Ole Miss]," Rush said. "[Kiffin and Golding] plan on playing me my freshman year. I will play the whole [defensive] line and they said they'll take care of me while I'm there."
Rush understands the football environment he is getting himself into by deciding to play in the Southeastern Conference and opened up about his expectations for the college football atmosphere in Oxford.
"It's going to be loud, crazy, and tough," Rush said. "We never had huge crowds [in high school] so the environment is going to be different than what I'm used to. I'll have to adjust to that and I might be a little nervous at first."
Rush plans on enrolling early at Ole Miss in January and mentioned that he is actively trying to get other big-time recruits from Mississippi to follow him to Oxford.
"I'm trying to get my boy Kam Franklin," Rush said. "My boy Deuce Knight, class of 2025. Jaylon Parnell, my teammate, he got offered by Ole Miss and he's a nice linebacker."
Kamarion Franklin is rated as the No. 1 player in the state of Mississippi in the 2024 cycle but is currently being recruited heavily by the Tennessee Volunteers, according to On3. Quarterback Deuce Knight is rated as the No. 2 player in the Magnolia state in the 2025 cycle and Jaylon Parnell is listed as an athlete in the same cycle.
He will not be suiting up for the Rebels this fall, but Rush still has high expectations for Ole Miss in 2023.
"Georgia is not [beating Ole Miss] and they're not going to the championship," Rush said.
A loss to the Rebels would likely damper the Georgia Bulldog's chances to make the national title game this year, but time will tell if Rush's prediction will stay true. Georgia enters the 2023 season with expectations of becoming the first team to ever win three national championships in a row.
You can follow Ben King on Twitter at @BKing_2023.
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