Ole Miss Freshman LB Suntarine Perkins Receives National Praise

OXFORD, Miss. -- Ole Miss Rebels true freshman linebacker Suntarine Perkins was one fo the most sought after playes in the 2023 recruiting cycle and for good reason.

Perkins, the No. 3 linebacker in the 2023 class, was recruited heavily by Nick Saban and the Alabama Crimson Tide ahead of National Siging Day, but the Raleigh, Miss., native eventually elected to stay in his home state.

Josh Pate recently listed his 13 most impactful true freshman entering the 2023 college football season on 247Sports' Late Kick podcast and included Perkins in his rankings.

Here is the excerpt on Perkins:

SUNTARINE PERKINS, LB, OLE MISS

Suntarine Perkins is the crown jewel and lone five-star in an Ole Miss recruiting class that finished No. 20 in the nation. He is the No. 23 prospect and No. 3 linebacker in the 2023 cycle.

Pate's Take:

"Suntarine Perkins. Nick Saban wanted him really badly. Pete Golding, when he was at Alabama, wanted him really bad. Now he is the defensive coordinator at Ole Miss, and he gets to coach Perkins after all. Massive get, a huge get for Lane Kiffin. People overlook the defensive acquisitions there because they gave up 33.1 points per game last season. In the state title game in Mississippi, he's a linebacker, but he had 32 carries for 337 yards rushing and four touchdowns. He also had six tackles and an interception on defense. He is an insane athlete and one of the best in the class."

Ole Miss defensive coordinator Pete Golding was part of the group at Alabama that nearly added Perkins to its 2023 class, and luckily for Golding, he will still get the chance to coach the talented freshman.

Perkins is a freak athlete and got to showcase his abilities in the Mississippi State Championship game last fall where he took over at both linebacker and runningback. Perkins rushed for 337 yards, four touchdowns, and recorded an interception plus six tackles on defense.

Perkins will be one of the many players to keep an eye on in the 2023 Ole Miss Grove Bowl which kicks off Saturday at 2 p.m. CT.

You can follow Ben King on Twitter at @BKing_2023.

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