No. 1 Running Back in America Set to Visit Ole Miss Football for LSU Tigers Matchup

Lane Kiffin and Co. will host the Bayou Bengals in Week 5, impressive visitors list heading to Oxford.

Louisville's quarterback Zavier Hunt (9) hands off to Zaiden Jernigan (8) during play against Louisville in the MHSAA 4A championship game in Hattiesburg, Miss., Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024. | Barbara Gauntt/Clarion Ledger / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Louisville (Miss.) four-star running back Zaiden Jernigan has exploded on the recruiting scene this fall with a myriad of program in pursuit of the talented Magnolia State prospect.

Jernigan, the No. 1 running back in the 2028 Recruiting Cycle, has reeled in offers from the likes of the Ole Miss Rebels, Mississippi State Bulldogs, Nebraska Cornhuskers, and California Bears, among others, as his rise continues.

The 5-foot-11, 195-pounder out of Mississippi has emerged as an early priority for Lane Kiffin and the Ole Miss Rebels in the sophomore class with the program keeping a foot on the gas.

Now, the Ole Miss staff is set to host Jernigan this weekend with the No. 1 running back in America expected to take an unofficial visit to Oxford on Saturday for the Rebels' SEC clash against LSU.

Louisville's Zaiden Jernigan (8) runs over 90 yards for a touchdown against Poplarville during the MHSAA 4A championship game in Hattiesburg, Miss., Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024. | Barbara Gauntt/Clarion Ledger / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

This is a big one for the Ole Miss staff with the program set to receive another face-to-face meeting with the elite running back in the 2028 Recruiting Cycle.

As a freshman in 2024, Jernigan eclipsed 2,000 scrimmage yards and scored 30 touchdowns during his first year on the prep scene.

Jernigan ran for 1,798 yards and 27 touchdowns on a whopping 8.3 yards per carry. He also caught 16 passes for 266 yards and 3 scores while adding 1 kick return touchdown.

The four-star running back led Louisville (Miss.) to a 13-2 record and a Mississippi 4A state runner-up finish.

I will be @OleMissFB this weekend‼️@jerms3_ @drm_12 @KevinSmithRB @LHSWildcats_FB @ChadSimmons_ @SWiltfong_ @adamgorney @MacCorleone74 @shayhodge3 pic.twitter.com/tI5n5Mx3fz

— zaiden jernigan (@zaiden_6) September 22, 2025

Jernigan will be surrounded by a myriad of recruits in Oxford on Saturday with Ole Miss using the critical SEC matchup to the program's advantage.

One Visitor to Know: QB Keegan Croucher [2027]

Cheshire (Conn.) four-star quarterback Keegan Croucher has narrowed his focus to the Ole Miss Rebels, Oregon Ducks and Penn State Nittany Lions as he evaluates the trio of finalists.

Croucher, a Top-10 signal-caller in America, has Lane Kiffin's Rebels firmly in the race for his services after taking a trip to Oxford this summer.

The 6-foot-3, 185-pounder has circled the Ole Miss program as a contender in his process and continues developing a relationship with Kiffin and Co. as his process heats up across his junior campaign.

Now, with three final schools locked in, it's the Rebels alongside the Ducks and Nittany Lions battling for his services after going public with a top three in August.

Courtesy of Keegan Croucher's Instagram.

Heading into Week 5 against the LSU Tigers, the Ole Miss Rebels are piecing together the program's biggest recruiting weekend of the year.

Croucher has locked in his unofficial visit with Kiffin and the Rebels where he's set to be in Vaught Hemingway Stadium on Saturday for the SEC clash.

More Ole Miss News:

The Ole Miss Football Depth Chart: Lane Kiffin and Co. Gearing Up for 2025 Season

Ole Miss Football 'Impressing' Texas Longhorns, Ohio State Buckeyes Target

Alabama Head Coach Betting Odds: Ole Miss Football's Lane Kiffin Listed as a Favorite

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