2009 Rebel Commitments

[Cianne]

Michael Brown (http://mississippi.scout.com/a.z?s=177&p=8&c=1&nid=3056043) OT 6-6 305 5.45 Lexington, TX

Tyler Campbell (http://mississippi.scout.com/a.z?s=177&p=8&c=1&nid=3632350) P 6-2 220 Little Rock, AR

Logan Clair (http://mississippi.scout.com/a.z?s=177&p=8&c=1&nid=3831281) OT 6-5 320 Miami, OK (Northeast Oklahoma A&M)

Terrell Grant (http://olemiss.rivals.com/viewprospect.asp?Sport=1&pr_key=78333) WR 6-3 215 4.48 Cleveland, MS

Stephen Houston (http://olemiss.rivals.com/viewprospect.asp?Sport=1&pr_key=86333) ATH 5-11 211 4.42 West Chester, OH

Gabriel Hunter (http://mississippi.scout.com/a.z?s=177&p=8&c=1&nid=3614606) RB 5-11 190 4.5 Memphis, TN

Payten Jason (http://mississippi.scout.com/a.z?s=177&p=8&c=1&nid=3050685) RB 6-0 190 Waggaman, LA

Dele Junaid (http://mississippi.scout.com/a.z?s=177&p=8&c=1&nid=3763984) S 6-1 190 Houston, TX

Article Kellam (http://olemiss.rivals.com/viewprospect.asp?Sport=1&pr_key=77196) S 5-11 195 4.55 Miami, FL

DeMarcus Knight (http://recruiting.scout.com/a.z?s=73&p=8&c=1&cfg=null&nid=3717385) LB 6-2 230 4.6 Morristown, TN

Markell Lee (http://mississippi.scout.com/a.z?s=177&p=8&c=1&nid=3590622) DE 6-5 250 Corinth, MS

Clayton Moore (http://olemiss.rivals.com/viewprospect.asp?Sport=1&pr_key=64527) QB 6-2 205 4.7 Louisville, MS

Emmanuel McCray (http://mississippi.scout.com/a.z?s=177&p=8&c=1&nid=3681892) OT 6-5 280 5.37 Forest Hill, MS

Aaron Schulte (http://olemiss.rivals.com/viewprospect.asp?pr_key=80582) OT 6-6 210 5.2 Wahpeton, ND (North Dakota State College of Science), Norfolk, NE

Tim Simon (http://mississippi.scout.com/a.z?s=177&p=8&c=1&nid=3440956) LB/RB 6-2 200 4.5 Cordova, AL - Position depends on recruiting service

Mike Thomas (http://mississippi.scout.com/a.z?s=177&p=8&c=1&nid=3553664) OT 6-4 240 4.8 Mobile, AL - Plays DE but coaches want him on the OL

Demond Washington (http://mississippi.scout.com/a.z?s=177&p=8&c=1&nid=3783362) DB 5-10 170 Perkinston, MS (Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College), Tallahassee, AL

Cameron Whigham (http://olemiss.rivals.com/viewprospect.asp?Sport=1&pr_key=79731) DE 6-3 230 4.7 Shiloh, GA

Turrell Williams (http://mississippi.scout.com/a.z?s=177&p=8&c=1&nid=3630664) RB 6-2 215 West Helena, AR

[Cianne]

With the 2009 recruiting season underway and Ole Miss hosting its first Jr. Day this weekend, I figured it would be appropriate to get the 2009 commitment thread underway.

It's going to be interesting to see if Payten Jason sticks with the Rebels or if the Rebels stick with Jason.

[Cianne]

Coach Nutt got his first commitment out of RB Turrell Williams of West Helena, Arkansas. Williams fits the big back mold as he stands 6'2" and weights 215.

[NiKka]

just checked out some highlight films of Turrell Williams and that's some of the best ones i've seen, he looks better than Enrique Davis & Devin Thomas in that film... wow if we can land this guy next year we will be loaded with playmaking running backs we'd be in an even better situation right now if Mico wasn't a moron

[Cianne]

The Rebels got their new first commitment of the year in Emmanuel McCray, an offensive tackle out of Forest Hill. The Rebels are in dire need of help along the offensive line and this is the first of surely many.

[Cianne]

Ole Miss picked up a surprise second commitment today from LB DeMarcus Knight of Morristown, TN. With Ashlee Palmer, Tony Fein, Chris Bowers, and Brandon Thomas all graduating, building some depth at the LB position makes sense. Those with a Rivals account can view video of him while Scout gets him loaded up into the database.

In other news, Allen Walker is real bummed that he got caught and apparently was not over the legal limit if he were 21, but the big problem of course is he's not. He's working hard to do everything the coaching staff gives him in order to stay in good graces and get back on the field.

[Cianne]

I need to keep better track of this with the Ole Miss summer camps starting seeing as how that's when Coach Nutt seems to get the majority of his commitments.

The third commitment to the 2009 class was from 6'5" 250 DE Markell Lee of Corinth HS. Coach Markuson apparently saw something the team needed immediately so a scholarship was offered and Lee took it. DE will become something of a necessity in the upcoming years the way Coach Nix will want to stockpile them along with Hardy, Tillman, and Stephens leaving within the next two years.

This brings me to today's commitment in 6'4" 240 DE Mike Thomas from Mobile. I can't remember the last time Ole Miss got a kid from the Mobile area and I'm sure that Auburn, Alabama, and LSU will go after him if they want him since they usually dominate the Alabama coastline.

[Cianne]

The Rebels got a commitment today out of QB Clayton Moore. I'll post more about when I get off of work.

[Cianne]

Now that I'm home, Clayton Moore committing to the Rebels should be a huge pickup. He's a December grad who can count back towards last year's class (and take Chris Wilkes' vacated scholarship) as well as bring in some quality recruits with him such as Dennis Thames, also out of Louisville HS, and Pat Patterson out of Noxubee County HS.

The only downside to Moore is that he's only 6'2" but the arm and the intangibles should make u for it. Size is the only reason he's rated below the two other Mississippi signal callers in Chris Garrett out of Tupelo (LSU commit) and Tyler Russell out of Meridian (MSU commit) because he's arguably the better thrower of the three. However, he is more mobile than both of them.

[Cianne]

The top RB in the state of Tennessee, Gabriel Hunter, committed to Ole Miss today. The Rebels beat out Alabama, Tennessee, and others for his pledge as the coaches want to be able to use him as a potential replacement to Dexter McCluster in the upcoming years.

[Cianne]

Coach Nutt continues to recruit regionally as he went to Houston to pick up safety Dele Junaid from Hightower HS. It'll be interesting to see if he stays at safety or grows into an OLB like Lekenwic Haynes (I think he will anyway).

[Cianne]

Whoops on forgetting to add Sterling to the commit list while I was in Texas vacationing before the start of the final year of school.

Andre Sterling, one of the top backs in East Tennessee last year, re-committed to the Rebels and will join the team in the spring from Hargrave. Instead of taking a greyshirt, Sterling decided to play the fall at prep school and join the team in January. With Sterling and Hunter committed, top 5-star back Jamaal Berry taking an official in late October, and the Rebels still pushing for Auburn commit Rodney Scott, Coach Nutt continues to try to pack the backfield with more and more horses.

Also, it's hard to get excited when you sign a special teams player unless he's one of the rare players that Scout or Rivals actually gets around to evaluating, Tyler Campbell could solve many problems in one facet of the Rebels special teams game. Incumbent punter Rob Park will graduate in the spring having beat out junior Justin Sparks (who will be covering kickoffs it appears), so there will be a vacancy at punter which looks to be filled quickly by Campbell who averaged over 46 yards a punt as a junior and was booming kicks further than the current Rebel punters during summer camp according to reports.

[4MSU2007]

I heard a rumor that Clayton Moore was going to decommit and take an offer for Ok State. Have you heard anything about this?

[Cianne]

I haven't seen that on Scout, Rivals, Nafoom, or Sixpack.

[Cianne]

The Rebel offense got a commitment today out of WR Terrell Grant from Cleveland, MS. The coaching staff continues to bring in fantastic size at the WR position to supplement some of the shorter guys the previous regime had (though Shay Hodge plays the position as if he was 6'7" instead of 6'1"). Grant had a fantastic camp on campus and received his offer soon after.

Grant chose the Rebels over offers from Mississippi State and Southern Miss.

[Cianne]

The offensive line is a huge priority this offseason and the Rebels picked up their second of the year in Michael Brown (http://mississippi.scout.com/a.z?s=177&p=8&c=1&nid=3056043) from Lexington, TX. Brown is an all-state selection for his division and one of the better prospects in central Texas.

Coach Markuson wants tall tackles and he's gotten two so far with 6-6 Brown and 6-5 McCray from Jackson, MS. Coach Nutt is obviously trying to leverage his Texas recruiting experience from when he was at Arkansas.

Also, potential big news on the horizon. With the coaches being allowed to make calls now, the Rebel staff was quick to the phones Sunday.

[Cianne]

Things are looking good for the Rebels and WR Pat Patterson.

[Cianne]

The Rebels picked up their 11th commitment from JC DB/RB Demond Washington out of Mississippi Gulf Coast CC. Washington was as JC All-American for MGCCC last season and is being looked at to play DB and return punts.

Here's a highlight video (language in both comments and song): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QyO8oxDUfxE

[NiKka]

I haven't been checking in on in season recruiting as much as I have the past few years because we are actually winning lol
Ci what highly touted prospects are we in on? & we definitely need some big time corners any good ones to be had?


James Scott the OSU transfer should help us out alot has he been practicing?

[Cianne]

Scott started practicing last week I believe. I'm sure he had to go through the same orientation, acclimation, and whatnot that the players did before the season started.

The Rebels aren't in on as many big names as they have been in the past mainly because this staff isn't peppering the entire Scout/Rivals database with offers. They're taking their time, evaluating, and will aim to finish strong in February whereas the previous staff tried to load up on the front end and generally whiffed on NSD. That said, the coaches are still getting their names out with the MS coaches, which is why you see a lot more recruits coming from Florida where Coach Vaughn has a presence due to his high school coaching career. The Nix's will hopefully recapture the southern half of the state in time, but with Coach Hughes and Wilson at USM, it will be tough.

Some names that the Rebels are in on though include, and these are all Rivals rankings:

4* RB Jamaal Berry (currently committed to OSU but they at least have an official visit from him);
4* RB Kendrick Hardy from Monticello;
4* RB Rodney Scott (depending on how soft he's gotten with Auburn);
4* RB Dontae Aycock;
4* RB Darius Barksdale (he's at Hargrave hopefully getting his act together but he's a safety through and through);
4* WR Pat Patterson (ditched the sinking ship in Starkville and looking for dry ground);
4* WR Chad Bumphis (going to have to hold off Alabama);
4* LB Poo Bear Mars (I've seen him mentioned around. He was all over for Apopka against South Panola;
4* LB Lamin Barrow
4* ATH Dennis Thames (Clayton Moore's best friend and teammate)

What you don't see there are blue chip OL which stinks but Coach Markuson seems to be able to coach up players to potential (see Jonathan Luigs as a 2*) as Arkansas rarely had blue chip kids on the OL out of HS with the exception of Tony Ugoh.

[the Paradox]

I would say Bumphis is 55-45 Bama @ the moment.


RTR

[Cianne]

Demond Washington has been upgraded to a 4* JC player per Scout.

[NiKka]

i'm suprised to not see many higher ranked DB's I know, I know, i'm not too big on stars but getting a Darius Winston would've worked out great we gotta land some true corner and a SS to come in if Johnny Brown can't do it and also shoot for the top JUCO corners..
Getting Marshay back to WR would be wise for next year as senseless as it would be lol

[Cianne]

Moving Marshay back to WR wouldn't make much sense at all and they won't do it. He actually does a pretty good job at CB for learning on the fly having never really played the position, even in HS.

[NiKka]

Yea that's right but no other receiver besides Shay and Dexter is really getting any balls there way or making many plays, Mike Wallace has to have some big receptions at some point I mean if Seth Adams can chunk it out there to him surely Snead can.

[Cianne]

Lionel Breaux is making a lot of catches as of late and Snead has been trying to hit Andrew Harris on a couple plays but he's gone gator arms. The problem seems to be that the line isn't giving Snead enough time to do a five-step drop out from under center to allow Wallace to run downfield. However, from a receiver standpoint, Melvin Harris is looking at getting some serious PT next season after a redshirt year in the weightroom.

Besides, next year you will have McCluster, Hodge, Summers, Breaux, Harris, and Harris at the wideout spot and likely will see Patterson out there with them. Terrell Grant may or may not redshirt though I don't believe the staff wants to redshirt anyone along with maybe Eric Williams and others (maybe Ja-Mes Logan, tall WRs are always good)l. Can always hope for Bumphis to line up in the slot/wild rebel as well.

[NiKka]

The more I look at it the more I get excited about next year we should definitely be better even losing Jamarca, Oher, Jerry, and maybe Hardy (which imo won't matter much if we do anyway he has got major issues)
That WR corps looks sick and Snead will have a year and 2 springs under his belt.. Derrick Hermann has looked really good from what I hear, he is maybe the most athletic DB we have on our roster now & Demond Washington looks really good in his films hopefully he can mix it up in the secondary. The question is who is gonna fill in at SS? Johnny Brown?

[Cianne]

Right now it looks like Johnny Brown but you may see Fon Ingram win the spot. Brown can play both safety positions. There's also Jared Mitchell from Hargrave.

[NiKka]

I'd really like to get Dennis Thames, I think he will be a good one.
I don't know if you seen this Julian Burnette guy from GA yet but he looks to be a beast of a LB..

[Cianne]

They'll need to find some LBs. Fein and Palmer graduate this year. Trahan and Brumfield next year. Cornell got a medical redshirt for his injury in the Missouri game last year, which is lucky, or he'd be gone next year too. Jason Jones is apparently doing a great job with the scout team while redshirting and so is Lekenwic Haynes from what I hear. I assume Marques Jenkins is also redshirting but don't know how he's doing.

Next year you'll probably see Trahan, Cornell, and Walker starting with Brumfield filling in at either OLB position and Jason Jones giving Cornell rest.

It'll be interesting to see if Demarcus Knight redshirts since he's a huge guy as is or if he shifts down to the DE. Then you have the LB kids they are in on Lamin Barrow, Mike Marry, Julian Burnette, Tahj Jones, Tony Straughter (still isn't 100% Gamecock from what I've read), and I wish they'd look at Marvin Burdette out of Panola because that guy is a player ala Sam Olajubutu (though Coach Nix prefers bigger LBs).

[NiKka]

Marques Jenkins? is he a walk-on?

Probably need to get some instant impact in at LB aswell via JUCO ala Rory Johnson or just roll with what we have, Mike Marry looks really good on film it'd be great if we can land him or Barrow.. I like Jason Jones, I think he will be a good one he is the ideal linebacker size that I like to see out there..

[Cianne]

Yea, Marques Jenkins is a walkon.

[Cianne]

There's debate as to whether the commitment has been firmly accepted, but RB Stephen Houston has informed everyone that he wants to play football at Ole Miss. Surprisingly, the Rebels are reaching into football rich Ohio for this commitment (though Houston did play football in Arkansas his junior season). At 5-11, 210 and true 4.4 speed, Houston could line up at RB with the rest of the good looking group but he's most likely being looked at lining up in the secondary as a possible replacement for Jamarca Sanford.

[NiKka]

That would be a great pick up someone has to come in and fill that void and create some depth, that kid can fly just checked out his film.

listed as a CB at 208lbs whew

[Cianne]

Latest interview with South Panola player David Conner (it's not premium soooo I'll link it):

http://mississippi.scout.com/2/802015.html

"We are excited about playing another Top 10 team," added David Conner. Right now we are 7-0 and everybody is trying to get things down for Tupelo. We have to get our secondary prepared for those guys. They have a great QB (Chris Garrett) and some really good receivers (Chad Bumphis, Justin Bean, Garian Heard). We have to make sure that our secondary knows that if they make a mistake, we got their backs. They have to keep their heads up, and things will go our way, if we do that."

David is beginning to feel the stress of trying to keep Mississippi's most prized streak alive.

"I am mostly playing will linebacker and a little strong safety. I have been doing ok, but not like my junior year. I might have the stats that I did last year, but I just went out there last year and hit 'em and did not think about it. This year, there is a lot of pressure because of the (college) scouts and this being my senior year. I am one of the leaders on this team, and I have a lot of things to think about. Last year, I just went out and played. I did not have all of this stuff on my mind."

And what is weighing on the Dandy Dozen's mind?

"Just the whole title we have and these picks about the next level. I do not want to let our state down and lose that winning streak. Everywhere we go, everyone tells us how proud they are, but they give us that look like you better not mess it up. I take a lot of pride in my state, and I do not want to be the class that let (the 82 game winning streak) go. And now I am real confused on where I want to go to college. I just do not know where I am going anymore."

Where does Auburn now stand?

"I thought Auburn was the place for me, but playing at South Panola, we are not use to losing. Auburn is on a little losing streak, and I do not know, I was thinking about staying closer to home. But mainly, I just want to win."

Who are the other schools that David is taking a look at?

"Mainly USM and Ole Miss. Coach Nutt came over to our school last Friday, and he talked to me about the Apopka (FL) game. He said I did some outstanding things and that he believed in me. That is what I want, for someone to believe in me. I took that as a good compliment. He inspired me, and I thought about it that night, and he really has me thinking about coming to Ole Miss and carrying the South Panola tradition they have over there."

Any college games on tap?

"I am definitely going over to Ole Miss to see them play Auburn. That is going to give me a good view on the direction each team is headed in. Coach (Tony) Hughes from Southern Miss is trying to get me to come down to a game of theirs. He writes me a lot of hand written letters telling me to keep my options open, be a team leader, keep my books up, and then he wants to see me in the Black and Gold. I want to try and get down there for a game."

USM also brings a couple more positives to the table for Conner.

"A lot of people ask me if I really want to go to a Conference USA school, being from South Panola and all. But I really do not look down on USM. They are a great school and have a great academic program. It is not all about being a mid-level school. I just love their coaches. When I went down there to their camp, they made me feel like a part of their family. They showed me a good time."

[Cianne]

Looks like Willie Ferrell has de-commited from LSU and is now looking at other schools including the Rebels according to Rivals.com. Ferrell is a 3* LB on both services, #29 ILB at Rivals and #15 SLB at Scout.

[NiKka]

How about this guy Preston Pace neither service has him ranked but he is a
6'1 195lbs JuCo cornerback with 4.35 speed? I haven't seen any film but that seems impressive plus he said he wants to be at Ole Miss and the only bad thing is he says he will graduate in May..

[NiKka]

any word on where JuCo CB Rudell Crim stands with us? that'd be a huge huge HUGE pick up right there...

also if we can get a couple of impact corners from juco and if Derrick Hermann aswell as Demareo Marr develop nicely despite the logic of it we very well could (IMHO hopefully) see Green back at WR where he BELONGS, it would add a different dimension to the passing attack he is great off of screens that we already have seen and I never have seen him fumble the ball.. it would add the Mike Wallace speed we'd lose at WR, Lionel Breaux and Markeith Summers are fast but not as elusive as a Marshay Green


While i am at which this not the proper thread but i'm ranting anyhow
even as much as I don't like it I think we'd be very scary in a spread with all of the talented WR's and RB's we have..
p.s. I hate the spread i'm just saying:D

[Cianne]

Marshay fumbled the ball when Ryan Hamilton ripped the ball out of his hands on a punt return in the Vanderbilt game. There's no need to switch him back to WR though as the position will be filled up next season. Besides, Chad Bumphis will take the job of small scatback-style slot receiver. Marshay will most likely move to a nickelback role where he would most likely excel. He's actually played really well at CB all year.

[NiKka]

I thought Bumphis was a stretch for us and we'd more than likely get Pat Patterson?

Have you heard anything about Crim?

[Cianne]

It's between Ole Miss and Bama for Bumphis and wil probably be up in the air until February. They plan on taking up to four WRs and they really want Patterson and lead for him currently I believe.

They obviously want corners in the biggest way so I'm sure they are looking at Crim and Pace and can get both of them if they want. While everyone points to the shortcomings of Green and Vaughn at the DB position (though I don't think they've been that bad, it's all a matter of learning the defense and the backers playing a bit better in coverage), the big reason to sign a whole bunch of DBs is that Green and Vaughn both graduate next year and of course Mouzon and Terrell Jackson are gone after this year. They're redshirting DeMareo Marr so he'll still have two more years to play as a junior next year along with OSU transfer James Scott as a sophomore and Jeremy McGee as a junior. After them you have the three Hargrave guys: Marcus Temple who will be a sophomore, Julian Whitehead, and Rudy Wilson but only Wilson is taller than 5-9 and then Derrick Herman and Brandon Sanders who are redshirting (though I Sanders may be a safety, I don't know).

[Cianne]

The Rebels got a new commitment on Tuesday from LB/RB Tim Simon (http://mississippi.scout.com/a.z?s=177&p=8&c=1&nid=3440956) of Cordova, AL. The All-State RB can help the Rebels on either side of the ball but will likely end up on the defensive side.

[NiKka]

Didn't see this one coming, looks like he would most likely redshirt and probably be placed at OLB...
Speaking of LB's next year Jason Jones is looking like a stud I hear hopefully he can contribute..
I wanna see a Ruddell Crim commitment... lets go :D



& Ci I only see 2 OL commitments unless you are counting the gray-shirted Hawkins..

[Cianne]

Mike Thomas is considered an OT while listed as a DE.

[Cianne]

Nikka was looking for more people on the offensive line and got one today from 3-star JC OT Aaron Schulte. Schulte originally signed with Nebraska and spent his freshman year there before leaving for North Dakota State CC. He's a big kid at 6-6 and 310 and a little soft if you believe what the Nebraska forums say, but he is a December graduate so will count back towards last year's class if there's room and more importantly will provide depth come the the spring.

I do admit that I'm looking forward to Bradley Sowell manning the LT position next year though.

[NiKka]

Sure did! :p You can never have too many lineman, I am also excited about Sowell likely starting. He has been getting on the field lately and I think that we will be solid next year Rishaw is alright Reid Neely will also be back..
Alex Washington was suppose to be pretty good but I haven't heard much about him

[oxfordoptimist]

Nikka was looking for more people on the offensive line and got one today from 3-star JC OT Aaron Schulte. Schulte originally signed with Nebraska and spent his freshman year there before leaving for North Dakota State CC. He's a big kid at 6-6 and 310 and a little soft if you believe what the Nebraska forums say, but he is a December graduate so will count back towards last year's class if there's room and more importantly will provide depth come the the spring.

I do admit that I'm looking forward to Bradley Sowell manning the LT position next year though.


I may be wrong, but I'm pretty sure that Sowell will be manning the RT position. We'll be moving John Jerry to the left side because he's our most dominant/athletic lineman. Either way, if healthy, we should still have good bookends on our line.

[NiKka]

Recruiting is starting to get interesting as we pick up our 3rd commitment of the week in S Artice Kellam out of Gulliver Prep in Miami..

I haven't seen any film on this guy and don't really know the extent of his evaluation but he is a 3 star.

[Cianne]

They've been working on the entire Gulliver Prep crew for a while now. Coach Vaughn is really trying to tap into the Tallahassee and down talent that is just overabundant there. He's got entire Jarvis Giles' ear now as well after Fulmer was fired at Tennessee (though Giles will likely end up at South Carolina).

[Cianne]

The Rebels picked up another commitment from DE Cameron Whigham (http://olemiss.rivals.com/viewprospect.asp?Sport=1&pr_key=79731) out of Snellville HS in Georgia. Whigham isn't ranked or even rated by either service which is probably due more to his team being historically terrible thus not warranting a visit from any Georgia scout with a video camera.