Ole Miss Football Receives Prediction to Beat Tennessee, USC for Coveted Prospect

Baton Rouge (La.) Central four-star linebacker JaMichael Garrett has narrowed his focus to a handful of schools as his recruitment process winds down this fall.

Garrett, the top-ranked rated linebacker in Louisiana, is one of the most coveted uncommitted prospects in the 2026 Recruiting Cycle with multiple schools in his ear.

The 6-foot-1, 195-pounder recently backed off of an Auburn Tigers commitment with the Ole Miss Rebels, LSU Tigers, Tennessee Volunteers, USC Trojans, Clemson Tigers and Vanderbilt Commodores coming in hot.

But Lane Kiffin and the Ole Miss Rebels are making their presence felt in Garrett's recruitment as he eyes a decision soon.

Garrett was back in Oxford this past weekend where he was accompanied by Ole Miss Rebels four-star linebacker commit Anthony Davis Jr. where the two talked shop in Vaught Hemingway Stadium.

Ole Miss Rebels Football: JaMichael Garrett. — Courtesy of JaMichael Garrett's X/Twitter.

For Davis, the coveted Peach State prospect has cruised up the recruiting rankings as a Top-20 linebacker in the 2026 Recruiting Cycle with Kiffin and Co. intensifying their pursuit this offseason.

“Ole Miss has recruited me as hard as anyone lately,” Davis said ahead of the decision. “I like their staff a lot and their defensive stats have been through the roof. The connections I have built are real.”

The 6-foot-1, 190-pounder connected with Ole Miss defensive coordinator Pete Golding from the jump with the relationship paving the way come decision time last month.

Ole Miss lost a commitment from the No. 1 linebacker in America, Izayia Williams, in August with Davis now putting a foot on the gas to have Garrett join Ole Miss' 2026 class.

Sources indicate to Ole Miss Rebels On SI that the program knocked it out of the park for Garrett on his recent visit to Oxford with the staff pushing the right buttons.

NEW: Rivals’ @samspiegs has logged an expert prediction for Ole Miss to land 4-star LB JaMichael Garrett🦈

Read: https://t.co/o3AvUampSe pic.twitter.com/7Lb1XoQHrW
— Rivals (@Rivals) September 15, 2025

Now, fast forward to Monday morning, and Rivals' Sam Spiegelman has logged a prediction in favor of the Ole Miss Rebels.

Lane Kiffin and Co. will look to build on the program's Top-25 Recruiting Class in America with the program trending for Garrett.

The 247Sports Evaluation:

- Classic run-and-hit off-ball linebacker who consistently finds his way to the ball.
- Adequate physical traits for a modern linebacker role. May fit a 4-3 MLB role best.
- Plays with some physicality. Can show up at the ball with more pop than size on paper might suggest.
- Capable of opening up when chasing down plays.
- Averaged 10 tackles per game as a junior, though TFL and sacks dropped significantly vs. sophomore year.
- Displays some natural traffic-sifting instincts and flows the ball.
- Provides value as a blitz option.
- Not overly framey, but should possess some bulking capacity given length relative to height.
- Verified data in regards to physical tools and athletic markers is limited, especially compared to many LB peers.
- Projects to the P4 level as a higher-floor linebacker who tackles consistently and plays with some edge. Could become a quality starter as the back-seven backbone for a team.

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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Follow Zack Nagy on Twitter: @znagy20 and Ole Miss Rebels On SI: @OleMissOnSI for all coverage surrounding the Ole Miss program.