Rebel Coaches on the Road, Droves of New Football Offers Out
While the transfer portal, coaching carousel and the end of the class of 2022 recruiting cycle dominates college football conversation, programs around the country are hitting the road for face time with high school coaches and players across the land.
Ole Miss, even with its re-tooled coaching staff, has of course been among them since the NCAA's contact period began last Friday, permitting in-person contact for the first time this year.
As per usual, it has resulted in the communication of plenty of new scholarship offers just this week. The Grove Report looks at the last 10 public Rebel football offers to prospects in the class of 2023, 2024 and even 2025.
2023 LB Lewis Carter
Tampa (Fla.) Catholic High School
6', 210 pounds
One of the most coveted linebacker recruits in the country, Ole Miss' new assistant coach Marquel Blackwell has been back in his native Tampa area and got an in-person look at the versatile defensive prospect. Carter has experience at safety, linebacker and running back but most colleges are coveting him on defense as a modern linebacker recruit. Ohio State, Florida and Clemson are already in on the blue-chip recruit.
2023 ATH Eugene Wilson
Tampa (Fla.) Gaither High School
5'11", 170 pounds
Another Blackwell stop came in the bay area on Thursday to one of the most explosive players in the area in Wilson. A wide receiver, defensive back and return man, he was the big-play catalyst for Gaither High in 2021, with a high gear after the catch that makes him strong in the return game. Cincinnati and Pitt have also offered this week as his tape makes the rounds.
2023 DB Colton Hood
McDonough (Ga.) Eagles Landing Christian Academy
6'1", 175 pounds
Another two-way performer in the junior class, Hood was productive on offense and defense in 2021. As a wide receiver he notched 12 scores but he was more impressive in the secondary, where he projects best, in collecting eight interceptions in the fall. Hood, who has elite ball skills and length, already has SEC offers from LSU and Kentucky to his name.
2023 DL Antonio Camon
6'3", 250 pounds
Tampa (Fla.) Tampa Bay Tech
More than a dozen programs have been in on Camon to date, including those that prioritize the area like Iowa State and Maryland, but the Ole Miss tender is just the second SEC option to his name at this point (South Carolina). Camon helped Tampa Bay Tech make it to the state championship game in 2021 with nine sacks and 28 tackles for loss. The junior has a top six that is public but says the group is subject to change as new offers come in.
2023 OL Ayden Bussell
Mount Juliet (Tenn.) High School
6'5", 290 pounds
A heavy SEC battle is brewing for one of the top offensive line recruits in the state of Tennessee. The in-state Vols have been in on Bussell for some time, but so has Kentucky and Mississippi State, among others. A visit to Oxford is the necessary next step to stay in the race, it appears, with the potential collegiate offensive tackle.
2024 QB Myles Jackson
Long Beach (Calif.) Millikan
6'2", 190 pounds
A new quarterback target always moves the needle and the Rebels have offered one in 2024 and 2025 over the last two weeks. The sophomore of the bunch is Jackson, who picked up the offer news Wednesday and called Ole Miss his "a dream school" in the process. Kentucky, Colorado, Arizona, Louisville and others are also in on Jackson after his first year as a varsity starter has concluded. The Californian threw for 32 touchdowns against 10 interceptions in 2021 in leading Millikan to a half-dozen wins.
2024 OL Eddy Pierre-Louis
Tampa (Fla.) Catholic High School
6'4", 320 pounds
A second offer to the Tampa Catholic Crusaders roster, the versatile offensive lineman has been coveted since his freshman year. Also the younger brother of Florida offensive lineman Richard Gouraige, Pierre-Louis has already racked up more than two dozen scholarship offers. Yes, the Gators are among them and he's frequented campus as one may expect.
2024 ATH Chalil Cummings
Starke (Fla.) Bradford
6', 188 pounds
It's early for the pass catcher and/or defensive back and the Rebels represent the first SEC offer in for Cummings. Cincinnati, Troy and Pitt are also on board at this point on a list many in the area expect to grow. Terrell Buckley is handling the recruitment for now, perhaps signaling a projection on defense. Cummings also plays basketball for the Tornadoes.
2024 DL Nigel Smith
Melissa (Texas) High School
6'5", 250 pounds
Ole Miss sent out a new offer in the Lone Star State this week in its efforts for the future of the Rebel pass rush. Smith fits the bill from a frame standpoint and the production has helped him land big-time offers of late, with Ole Miss joining Texas Tech among recent offers. The Texas Longhorns are also in communication and a visit is upcoming to Austin. Expect more to come Smith's way after a big 2021 season, registering 66 tackles, including 20 for loss and double-digit sacks as a sophomore.
2025 WR Santonyo Isaac
Tampa (Fla.) Tampa Bay Tech
6', 160 pounds
Another freshman adding Ole Miss to the offer list is Isaac, part of the breakout team at Tampa Bay Tech. Pitt, Penn State, Indiana, Louisville, West Virginia and others have seen enough from the young skill talent to do the same. The wideout already stands 6-feet tall and he broke out with 450 yards of production in 2021 with a long stride and ball skill combination that led to big plays down the field. Isaac averaged more than 30 yards per catch in Florida's highest high school classification as a freshman.
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