Ole Miss Football, Oregon Ducks, Ohio State Among Top Landing Spots for Prized DB

Pete Golding and Co. are firmly in the race for the coveted defensive back, other powerhouse programs in the race.

Courtesy of Jaden Carey on X.

Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas four-star cornerback Jaden Carey has narrowed his focus to seven schools with Pete Golding and the Ole Miss Rebels in the thick of it for the prized defensive back.

Carey checks in as a Top-50 cornerback in America with a myriad of schools extending offers his way after a strong junior campaign in the Sunshine State.

The 6-foot, 165-pounder has earned scholarships from the likes of the Ole Miss Rebels, Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Miami Hurricanes, and Ohio State Buckeyes, among several others, with contenders beginning to stick out.

Golding and the Ole Miss Rebels are on Carey's radar after trimming his finalists this week with the program eyeing an official visit from the standout Florida defensive back.

The Florida native is down to the Ole Miss Rebels, Ohio State Buckeyes, Auburn Tigers, Florida Gators, Oregon Ducks, Miami Hurricanes, and Notre Dame Fighting Irish as he narrows his focus to the seven premier programs.

🚨NEWS🚨 4-star CB Jaden Carey is down to Ohio State, Florida, Auburn, Notre Dame, Miami, Oregon and Ole Miss, he tells Rivals‼️

Read: https://t.co/GucSW0NzON pic.twitter.com/aqN8Dn4xzZ

— Rivals (@Rivals) February 9, 2026

Jon Sumrall and the Florida Gators remain serious threats in Carey's process, but Ole Miss has a foot on the gas for the coveted defender as his process intensifies.

Golding and Co. are beginning to identify key targets in the 2027 Recruiting Cycle with Carey quickly emerging as a name to know.

A New Name to Know: RB Javon Vital

Lake Charles (La.) Hamilton Christian Academy four-star running back Javon Vital has emerged as a priority target for Golding and the Ole Miss Rebels as his recruitment picks up this offseason.

Vital checks in as a Top-10 prospect in Louisiana with programs from coast-to-coast battling for his commitment as he navigates a rigorous recruiting process.

The 5-foot-8, 170-pounder logged over 3,000 all-purpose yards and 46 total touchdowns as a sophomore in 2024 with 1,500 yards and 25 scores coming on the ground.

Following the standout season as a sophomore, Vital's recruitment took off with a myriad of schools dishing out scholarships his way.

Courtesy of Javon Vital's Instagram.

After carrying the momentum into his junior campaign last fall, Vital now enters a critical stretch in his recruitment process where he's since trimmed his list to three schools: LSU, Southern Cal, and Houston.

But it isn't stopping Ole Miss Rebels recruiting guru Frank Wilson from getting in on the action where the former LSU associate head coach/running backs coach turning up the heat for the prized offensive weapon amid a strong pursuit from the program in Oxford.

More Ole Miss News:

Ole Miss Football Pulls Off Historic Recruiting Feat After Landing No. 2 Portal Class

Ole Miss Football Recruiting Notebook: Three Targets Pete Golding Must Land in Year 1

'Growing Optimism' That Ole Miss Football QB Trinidad Chambliss Will Play in 2026

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