Ole Miss QB Target Maddox Kopp Committing Tuesday: Is It Ole Miss?
Lane Kiffin and Ole Miss will have a big day or a big letdown on Tuesday.
Maddox Kopp, an SI All-American Candidate and the Rebels' top choice in the 2021 recruiting class at quarterback, will be committing on Tuesday night, Sept. 1 via a live stream from his school at St. Thomas in Houston.
This leaves one looming question: Is it Ole Miss?
"I honestly knew two or three days ago. I realized where I wanted to go and where I wanted to be," Kopp said in an interview with SI All-American over the weekend. "I want to keep it under wraps, I've only told two of my teammates so it's gonna be fun.
"It was just the love I received from the guys over there. The ability to win and play early in my career was something that really went into it. Just an opportunity to go in and play was something big for me."
Kopp will be picking between Ole Miss, Houston, Wyoming, Colorado and Tulane. Those close to Kopp believe it is down to a two man race – the home town Houston and the SEC school in Ole Miss.
From The Grove Report's recent conversations with Kopp, we truly believe he is leaning Rebels.
"I've been continuing to grow the relationship with coach Kiffin and coach (Jeff) Lebby," Kopp told The Grove Report. "The opportunities that the SEC provides is really intriguing to me and the offense that they've produced in other places is really exciting. Having the opportunity to play somewhere like that really peaks my interest."
Kopp could not take a true visit to Ole Miss due to COVID-19 restrictions on recruiting, but he did take a recent visit to Oxford to walk around campus and see town.
Below reads the full SI All-American scouting report on Kopp, followed by The Grove Report's prediction for his commitment tomorrow morning. You can see highlights from his junior season at the top of this story and from his Elite 11 appearance attached.
Frame: Tall presence with Athleticism
Athleticism: Basketball background before turning focus to football of late. Family has Division I pedigree in football and basketball. Big kid with big arm and big lower-body power, evident in running ability and vertical ability, including some head-turning dunks in high school.
Instincts: Competitive athlete unafraid of the big moment in two sports. Can sit in the pocket and pick defenses apart or do so on the move, off-platform and with some improve as needed.
Polish: Can make all throws to all levels with a fairly quick trigger attached to right arm. Throws with great timing and anticipation, along with intermediate accuracy. Could stand to sit in the pocket longer to allow routes to develop. Getting through second and third read could enhance strengths.
Bottom Line: Kopp is one of the streakiest quarterbacks in the class of 2021. When he is on, few can hit all three levels with velocity and accuracy quite like he can. As he tweaks fundamentals and plays for a more consistent presence, including getting deeper in progressions and throwing from a strong base, he will have the chance to light up Power Five defenses down the road.
The Grove Report's Maddox Kopp Odds: 60% Ole Miss, 35% Houston, 5% Other
More From The Grove Report:
Ole Miss Commit Drew Donley: "That's My Dream School"
Surprise! Ole Miss Basketball has the No. 1 Recruiting Class in the SEC
You can join The Grove Report community by clicking "Follow" on the top righthand corner of the page. Also, be sure to like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @SIRebels and @nategabler.
