Prized Ole Miss Target Commits to Auburn Over Rebels, Penn State and Virginia Tech

Taylor (Penn.) Riverside three-star defensive lineman Tavian Branch has committed to the Auburn Tigers and signed the necessary paperwork during the Early Signing Period.

Branch, a Top-50 defensive lineman in America, revealed a pledge to James Franklin and the Penn State Nittany Lions in September after flipping his pledge from Rutgers, but with a coaching change within the program, he pressed the reset button.

The 6-foot-4, 300-pounder was reevaluating his options with multiple schools in pursuit of his services - ultimately signing with Auburn over Ole Miss, Penn State and Virginia Tech on Wednesday.

“It has been a lot, but I knew God would lead me to the right decision,” Branch told Rivals. “I have been trying to figure things out — it was a lot — but Auburn is it. I have finally found my home and it is Auburn.”

“Coach Golesh is a focused man,” Branch told Rivals. “He is focused on Auburn and making it a great program again. He has a plan and we talked about it. I like what he is about and he is a coach who can do well at Auburn.

“We had a long talk on Tuesday night, and at the end, I knew it was a no-brainer.

BREAKING: Class of 2026 DL Tavian Branch has Committed to Auburn, he tells me for @rivals⁰⁰The 6’5 300 DL was previously committed to Penn State⁰
“Gods plan War Eagle 🦅”https://t.co/xfGstpFjWt pic.twitter.com/0nMhgtxGB3
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) December 3, 2025

Now, he's heading to the Southeastern Conference after signing the paperwork with the Auburn Tigers where Ole Miss misses out on the coveted despite an official visit this fall.

Pete Golding and the Ole Miss Rebels handled business in the 2026 Recruiting Cycle - headlined by hanging on to the No. 1 commit in the class after signing on Wednesday - despite missing on Branch.

Landon Barnes: No. 2 EDGE in Texas

Duncanville (Tex.) four-star edge rusher Landon Barnes has officially signed the necessary paperwork to become an Ole Miss Rebel.

Barnes, the No. 1 rated EDGE in Texas, is a consensus Top-25 defensive prospect in the Lone Star State with programs from coast-to-coast battling for his services across his high school career.

Ole Miss Rebels Football: Landon Barnes. — Courtesy of Landon Barnes' Instagram.

The 6-foot-4, 245-pounder reeled in offers from the likes of the LSU Tigers, Texas Longhorns, Ohio State Buckeyes, and Georgia Bulldogs, among others, across the last few months.

But it's the Ole Miss staff that ultimately won out for his services over a myriad of high-profile programs involved in his process.

“I felt the love from the staff. They showed great love and a lot of energy toward me. The people [at Ole Miss] really got to know me well and it showed me a lot as a recruit," Barnes told Rivals.

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Tony Vitello Pokes Fun at Ole Miss Football's Lane Kiffin in Goodbye to Tennessee

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