College Football's No. 3 DL Turns Down Three Historic Powerhouses

Three SEC programs came up short in a recruiting battle for the No. 3 defensive line prospect in the class of 2027.

Nov 8, 2025; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide wide receiver Ryan Williams (2) carries the ball after a reception against the Louisiana State Tigers during the fourth quarter of the game at Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Leong-Imagn Images | David Leong-Imagn Images

A heated SEC battle for one of the most coveted defensive linemen in the class of 2027 came to a close Tuesday afternoon.

Four-star defensive lineman Mitchell Turner committed to Ole Miss, turning down offers from Alabama, LSU and Texas. The 6-foot-1, 285-pounder from Louisville, Mississippi, is the No. 3 defensive lineman in the class, No. 2 prospect in Mississippi and No. 40 overall prospect in the Rivals 300 rankings.

In two seasons at Louisville High School, Turner has logged an aggregate 136 tackles, 45 tackles for loss, 15.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery. In addition to the gridiron, Turner stars on the diamond for Louisville; he hit for a .522 batting average in 2025.

247Sports scouting analyst Gabe Brooks noted that Turner "displays impressive redirecting suddenness, to the point of being able to combine zig-zags to get loose" in a scouting report from March.

Turner nearly replaced a top-five defensive line prospect in the Rebels' 2027 class

Ole Miss head coach Pete Golding runs off the field during warmups before the CFP Fiesta Bowl at the State Farm Stadium, in Glendale, Ariz., on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026. | Lauren Witte/Clarion Ledger / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Tuesday was a rollercoaster of a day for the Rebels in regard to defensive line recruiting. Less than 24 hours after declaring his recruitment shut down, Ben'Jarvius Shumaker, the No. 5 defensive line prospect in the class and No. 3 prospect in Mississippi, flipped his commitment from Ole Miss to Colorado. Shumaker later reaffirmed his commitment to Ole Miss on Tuesday night.

With Shumaker back in the boat, Turner is now one of two four-star defensive line prospects committed to the Rebels in their 2027 class. Jamarkus Pittman, a top-40 defensive lineman in the class of 2027, has been committed to Ole Miss for just over a year.

Where will Turner's other contenders turn for defensive line recruits?

Nov 15, 2025; Athens, Georgia, USA; Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian gestures after a game against the Georgia Bulldogs at Sanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Alabama was the earliest of Turner's finalists to begin making a push for his commitment back in December of 2025, and it hosted Turner on three visits this year.

In-state defensive lineman AJ Pauley committed to the Crimson Tide back on April 11, but it is still scouring for its first blue-chip commit for the interior of its defensive line.

LSU received a pair of visits from Turner this year, most recently an official visit on June 1. While the Tigers are still hunting for blue-chip defensive linemen, they did receive a commitment from KJ Green, a top-10 edge rusher in the class.

Additionally, LSU is engaged in the battle to flip Jalen Brewster, the No. 1 overall prospect in the class, away from Texas Tech.

Texas appeared to finish last in the pecking order for Turner in his recruitment, although the Longhorns' 2027 class is more than covered on the defensive line.

Kasi Currie and Tyler Alexander, the No. 5 and No. 40 defensive linemen in Rivals' Industry rankings, both committed to Texas this month.