Prized Ole Miss Football Target Sees Meteoric Rise To No. 3 Rated Athlete in America

Pete Golding and Co. remain in pursuit of the coveted two-way prospect, surges to No. 3 rated athlete in the country.

Courtesy of Tae Walden's X/Twitter.

Collierville (Tenn.) athlete Tae Walden Jr. continues navigating a pivotal offseason in his recruitment with Pete Golding and the Ole Miss Rebels in the thick of it for the dynamic offensive weapon.

Walden Jr. has surged up the recruiting rankings where he now checks in as the No. 3 rated athlete in the 2027 Recruiting Cycle after a strong junior campaign in 2025.

The 6-foot-2, 165-pounder has since reeled in offers from the likes of the Arkansas Razorbacks, Florida State Seminoles, LSU Tigers, Missouri Tigers, Vanderbilt Commodores, and Indiana Hoosiers, among others, as his rise continues.

Walden put his name on the map after a strong sophomore campaign where he logged 15 catches for 307 yards and 4 touchdowns on offense - while adding 7 tackles, 7 pass breakups and 2 interceptions on defense as a two-way weapon.

Then, heading into his junior campaign, the versatile prospect solidified his status as an SEC talent with more offers rolling in - including the Florida Gators and LSU Tigers as of late.

Ole Miss continues their pursuit and remains a school to keep tabs despite a myriad of Southeastern Conference schools now entering the race this offseason.

Walden made his way back to Oxford for the Ole Miss Rebels' Week 5 matchup against LSU where he soaked in the scenes of Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Then, just days later, an offer came in from Golding and Co.

Fast forward to January and the Ole Miss coaching staff - headlined by Golding - traveled up to Tennessee for an in-person visit with Walden as the Rebels put their foot on the gas.

Courtesy of Tae Walden on X.

Walden has NFL bloodlines with his father suiting up at the professional level following his time at Middle Tennessee State (2004-09) where he’s now in the Blue Raiders HOF.

After being named a 2X All-Sun Belt selection, Walden's father was selected in the 6th Round of 2008 NFL Draft by Dallas Cowboys where he played 10 seasons while also spending time with the Indianapolis Colts, Kansas City Chiefs, Miami Dolphins, Green Bay Packers and Tennessee Titans. He logged 356 tackles and 35 sacks.

Now, it's Walden Jr. that is navigating a pivotal stretch in his football career with offers galore rolling his as he cruises up the rankings as the No. 3 athlete and No. 63 overall prospect in the 2027 Recruiting Cycle.

More Ole Miss News:

Ole Miss Football Targeting No. 1 Prospect on Georgia Bulldogs Board Amid Strong Push

Ole Miss Football and Texas Longhorns Pushing to Flip Coveted WR Committed to SEC Foe

Ole Miss Football Among Early Leaders for Alabama Crimson Tide Running Back Target

Join the Community:

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