The Ole Miss Rebels football program is experiencing significant momentum with its recruiting efforts as head coach Lane Kiffin targets some of the top high school talents available. Among the key recruits is Jase Mathews, a wide receiver from Leakesville Greene County, who has gained attention as one of the fastest-rising prospects. With Mathews listed as a five-star prospect by On3, Ole Miss fans are eager to see how this recruitment pans out.
Mathews has plans to visit several prestigious football programs including LSU, Colorado, Texas A&M, Auburn, Mississippi State, Miami, and, of course, Ole Miss during the spring. He has confirmed official visits with Ole Miss, Auburn, Texas A&M, and Miami. Mathews expressed the significance of Ole Miss being the first team to offer him, stating, “Ole Miss being the school who offered me first, they showed a lot of interest in me since then.” This early connection may prove pivotal as he continues his recruitment.
He elaborated on his upcoming visit, indicating, “Just getting up there in the spring, I believe, and getting back closer with the coaches is going to build a big relationship.” Mathews is particularly optimistic about his relationship with Receivers Coach McDonald, commenting, “I like the way his receivers played last year, the way he develops and built strong connections with his receivers and got them to ball last year.”
Being from Mississippi, Mathews is familiar with the Ole Miss program and has expressed excitement about the possibility of playing there. “It’s great. Them having the reputation they have and the environment at the games. I would be amazing there,” he said. It’s clear the Rebels are making headway, and maintain solid expectations for his visit.
Meanwhile, Ole Miss is also focused on recruitment strategies for bolstering its offensive line, which has been traditionally under-recruited. One of the names to watch is Felix Ojo, a towering offensive tackle from Mansfield, Texas, who stands at 6 feet 7 inches and weighs 274 pounds. Ojo’s size, combined with his ranking as one of the top 20 players nationally by On3, positions him as a marquee target for several schools, including Ole Miss.
Ojo has announced his official visits: he will kick off his recruitment tour with Ole Miss from April 18-20, followed by Ohio State, Michigan, Texas, and Oklahoma later on throughout the spring and summer months. The Ole Miss coaching staff is eager for Ojo's visit, as it will provide them with the opportunity to make their case for why he should join the Rebels. A source commented, “Expect the staff to put on a full-court press, not to get him to commit, per se, but to plant the seed...” This recruiting pitch will likely focus on how Ole Miss can support Ojo's development and aspirations of reaching the next level.
His upcoming trip to Oxford is strategically timed when the weather is beautiful and the campus is buzzing with energy, which should assist the coaching staff immensely as they showcase the Rebels’ program.
Cumulatively, over the past three recruiting cycles, Ole Miss has made notable progress, successfully securing commitments from some of the best players within the state of Mississippi. With the current mix of high school recruits and effective transfer portal strategies under Lane Kiffin’s guidance, Ole Miss has established itself as a program on the rise. Bringing top players such as Mathews and Ojo would be another step toward building upon this momentum.
By nurturing relationships with recruits and emphasizing their development potential, Ole Miss hopes to continue its trend of successful recruiting and establish itself as a consistent powerhouse on the gridiron.