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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Football Signs Top 15 Recruiting Class
12/5/2024 | Football
OXFORD, Miss. – It was a successful Signing Day for Lane Kiffin and his staff, who inked the highest-rated recruiting class for Ole Miss football since 2016, landing one of the nation's top 15 classes for 2025.
The Rebel class currently consists of 21 signees, including one 5-star prospect, 14 4-star prospects and nine prospects ranked in the Top 300 of the On3 Industry Comparison rankings. The class ranks as high as No. 14 (247Sports, Rivals) and is No. 15 in the On3 Industry Comparison.
Ole Miss signed six of the top 12 prospects out of Mississippi, highlighted by 5-star receiver Caleb Cunningham, the state's highest-rated player and the No. 3 receiver and No. 21 overall prospect in the nation. This marks the third straight season Ole Miss has signed the state's top recruit.
"Exciting day for Ole Miss, a lot of really good players coming here," Kiffin said. "I think this is our best class since we've been here of high school players. I think that's a product of a lot of things—coaches working really consistently, good general manager Billy Glasscock putting things together. I think that's a product now of a lot of winning seasons. Ever since these guys have been in high school, all they've done is see us win. For their time, it's the third-winningest program in the SEC behind Georgia and Alabama. It's critical for players to see that over time. It's a really exciting class. For the third year in a row, signed the No. 1 player in the state, which is huge."
Offensive Signees
Cunningham highlights a phenomenal incoming group of receivers, joined by 4-stars Winston Watkins Jr., Dillon Alfred and Samari Reed. Watkins was a signing day addition out of Venice in Fort Myers, Florida, choosing Ole Miss over a host of suitors, including Ohio State, Georgia, Texas A&M and others.
Ole Miss' three highest-rated prospects all come on the offensive side of the ball: Cunningham, offensive lineman Devin Harper and running back Shekai Mills-Knight.
Harper is the No. 82 prospect in the nation, the No. 3 interior offensive lineman and the No. 5 prospect out of Louisiana. Another 4-star, Connor Howes, along with 3-stars TJ Hedrick and Kenneth Boston, join Harper on the offensive front.
Mills-Knight and tight end Hayden Bradley of Buford, Georgia, join the elite receiver class to form a promising group of offensive playmakers joining the fray. Mills-Knight is the No. 135 prospect in the nation, No. 8 running back and No. 2 player out of Tennessee, the Chattanooga native choosing the Rebels over the in-state Volunteers and others.
Defensive Signees
Tupelo defensive back Maison Dunn highlights an outstanding crop of incoming defensive backs at No. 175 nationally, No. 23 at corner and No. 7 in Mississippi, choosing the Rebels over Alabama, LSU and MSU. Ladarian Clardy, the No. 229 prospect nationally, Keon Young and Cortez Thomas give Ole Miss four 4-star defensive backs, along with 3-stars Dante Core and MJ Preston.
The Rebels added a 4-star Mississippian at linebacker, Jarcoby Hopson out of Horn Lake, the state's No. 11 player and a top-300 prospect nationally.
Another highlight of the class is top-300 prospect, top-20 defensive lineman and top-10 Mississippian Andrew Maddox. The 4-star out of Oak Grove in Hattiesburg was the top defensive line prospect in the state. He's joined on the defensive front by a trio of edge rushers: 4-star Corey Amos out of Opelousas, Louisiana, 4-star Talib Graham out of Daphne, Alabama and 3-star Corey Adams out of football powerhouse Edna Karr in New Orleans.
Stay Connected
Stay up to date with all the latest Ole Miss football news and content! Subscribe to The Sip, the official newsletter of Rebel football, and we'll drop the best Ole Miss football stories, videos and social media content to your inbox each week.
Update today to the all-new version of the Ole Miss Sports app, presented by Renasant Bank! The new app will serve as a dynamic hub for Rebel gameday content, including ticketing, parking, schedules, shopping for official Ole Miss merchandise and much more. Click here for more info or to download.
Signees
Adams, Corey | DL | 6-4 | 235 | New Orleans, La. | Edna Karr
Alfred, Dillon | WR | 6-0 | 180 | Gautier, Miss. | Saraland
Amos, Corey | DL | 6-3 | 210 | Opelousas, La. | Opelousas
Boston Jr., Kenneth | OL | 6-8 | 330 | Rayville, La. | River Oaks School
Bradley, Hayden | TE | 6-5 | 220 | Buford, Ga. | Buford
Clardy, Ladarian | DB | 6-0 | 175 | Cantonment, Fla. | Escambia
Core, Dante | CB | 5-11 | 165 | Fort Walton Beach, Fla. | Choctawatchee
Cunningham, Caleb | WR | 6-3 | 190 | Weir, Miss. | Choctaw County
Dunn, Maison | DB | 6-3 | 185 | Tupelo, Miss. | Tupelo
Graham, Talib | DL | 6-2 | 245 | Daphne, Ala. Daphne
Harper, Devin OL 6-5 315 Shreveport, La. | Calvary Baptist Academy
Hedrick, TJ | OL | 6-5 | 285 | Columbia, Mo. | Community School of Naples
Hopson, Jarcoby | LB | 6-2 | 210 | Tunica, Miss. | Lake Cormorant
Howes, Connor | OL | 6-6 | 310 | Saint Cloud, Fla. | Osceola
Maddox, Andrew | DL | 6-4 | 280 | Hattiesburg, Miss. | Oak Grove
Mills-Knight, Shekai | RB | 6-3 | 220 | Montreal, Québec, Canada | Baylor School (TN)
Preston, MJ | DB | 6-1 | 190 | Petersburg, Va. | IMG Academy
Reed, Samari | WR | 6-2 | 195 | Margate, Fla. | Monarch
Thomas, Cortez | DB | 6-1 | 185 | Lexington, Miss. | Holmes County Central
Watkins, Winston | WR | 5-10 | 185 | Fort Myers, Fla. | Venice
Young, Keon | DB | 6-0 | 180 | Bartow, Fla. | Lakeland
The Rebel class currently consists of 21 signees, including one 5-star prospect, 14 4-star prospects and nine prospects ranked in the Top 300 of the On3 Industry Comparison rankings. The class ranks as high as No. 14 (247Sports, Rivals) and is No. 15 in the On3 Industry Comparison.
Ole Miss signed six of the top 12 prospects out of Mississippi, highlighted by 5-star receiver Caleb Cunningham, the state's highest-rated player and the No. 3 receiver and No. 21 overall prospect in the nation. This marks the third straight season Ole Miss has signed the state's top recruit.
"Exciting day for Ole Miss, a lot of really good players coming here," Kiffin said. "I think this is our best class since we've been here of high school players. I think that's a product of a lot of things—coaches working really consistently, good general manager Billy Glasscock putting things together. I think that's a product now of a lot of winning seasons. Ever since these guys have been in high school, all they've done is see us win. For their time, it's the third-winningest program in the SEC behind Georgia and Alabama. It's critical for players to see that over time. It's a really exciting class. For the third year in a row, signed the No. 1 player in the state, which is huge."
Offensive Signees
Cunningham highlights a phenomenal incoming group of receivers, joined by 4-stars Winston Watkins Jr., Dillon Alfred and Samari Reed. Watkins was a signing day addition out of Venice in Fort Myers, Florida, choosing Ole Miss over a host of suitors, including Ohio State, Georgia, Texas A&M and others.
Ole Miss' three highest-rated prospects all come on the offensive side of the ball: Cunningham, offensive lineman Devin Harper and running back Shekai Mills-Knight.
Harper is the No. 82 prospect in the nation, the No. 3 interior offensive lineman and the No. 5 prospect out of Louisiana. Another 4-star, Connor Howes, along with 3-stars TJ Hedrick and Kenneth Boston, join Harper on the offensive front.
Mills-Knight and tight end Hayden Bradley of Buford, Georgia, join the elite receiver class to form a promising group of offensive playmakers joining the fray. Mills-Knight is the No. 135 prospect in the nation, No. 8 running back and No. 2 player out of Tennessee, the Chattanooga native choosing the Rebels over the in-state Volunteers and others.
Welcome to the Ole Miss Family ✍️#ComeToTheSip pic.twitter.com/sAkoDgTB32
— Ole Miss Football (@OleMissFB) December 5, 2024
Defensive Signees
Tupelo defensive back Maison Dunn highlights an outstanding crop of incoming defensive backs at No. 175 nationally, No. 23 at corner and No. 7 in Mississippi, choosing the Rebels over Alabama, LSU and MSU. Ladarian Clardy, the No. 229 prospect nationally, Keon Young and Cortez Thomas give Ole Miss four 4-star defensive backs, along with 3-stars Dante Core and MJ Preston.
The Rebels added a 4-star Mississippian at linebacker, Jarcoby Hopson out of Horn Lake, the state's No. 11 player and a top-300 prospect nationally.
Another highlight of the class is top-300 prospect, top-20 defensive lineman and top-10 Mississippian Andrew Maddox. The 4-star out of Oak Grove in Hattiesburg was the top defensive line prospect in the state. He's joined on the defensive front by a trio of edge rushers: 4-star Corey Amos out of Opelousas, Louisiana, 4-star Talib Graham out of Daphne, Alabama and 3-star Corey Adams out of football powerhouse Edna Karr in New Orleans.
Stay Connected
Stay up to date with all the latest Ole Miss football news and content! Subscribe to The Sip, the official newsletter of Rebel football, and we'll drop the best Ole Miss football stories, videos and social media content to your inbox each week.
Update today to the all-new version of the Ole Miss Sports app, presented by Renasant Bank! The new app will serve as a dynamic hub for Rebel gameday content, including ticketing, parking, schedules, shopping for official Ole Miss merchandise and much more. Click here for more info or to download.
Signees
Adams, Corey | DL | 6-4 | 235 | New Orleans, La. | Edna Karr
Alfred, Dillon | WR | 6-0 | 180 | Gautier, Miss. | Saraland
Amos, Corey | DL | 6-3 | 210 | Opelousas, La. | Opelousas
Boston Jr., Kenneth | OL | 6-8 | 330 | Rayville, La. | River Oaks School
Bradley, Hayden | TE | 6-5 | 220 | Buford, Ga. | Buford
Clardy, Ladarian | DB | 6-0 | 175 | Cantonment, Fla. | Escambia
Core, Dante | CB | 5-11 | 165 | Fort Walton Beach, Fla. | Choctawatchee
Cunningham, Caleb | WR | 6-3 | 190 | Weir, Miss. | Choctaw County
Dunn, Maison | DB | 6-3 | 185 | Tupelo, Miss. | Tupelo
Graham, Talib | DL | 6-2 | 245 | Daphne, Ala. Daphne
Harper, Devin OL 6-5 315 Shreveport, La. | Calvary Baptist Academy
Hedrick, TJ | OL | 6-5 | 285 | Columbia, Mo. | Community School of Naples
Hopson, Jarcoby | LB | 6-2 | 210 | Tunica, Miss. | Lake Cormorant
Howes, Connor | OL | 6-6 | 310 | Saint Cloud, Fla. | Osceola
Maddox, Andrew | DL | 6-4 | 280 | Hattiesburg, Miss. | Oak Grove
Mills-Knight, Shekai | RB | 6-3 | 220 | Montreal, Québec, Canada | Baylor School (TN)
Preston, MJ | DB | 6-1 | 190 | Petersburg, Va. | IMG Academy
Reed, Samari | WR | 6-2 | 195 | Margate, Fla. | Monarch
Thomas, Cortez | DB | 6-1 | 185 | Lexington, Miss. | Holmes County Central
Watkins, Winston | WR | 5-10 | 185 | Fort Myers, Fla. | Venice
Young, Keon | DB | 6-0 | 180 | Bartow, Fla. | Lakeland
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