Getting to Know Potential Ole Miss Commits

Ole Miss is ranked seventh in the SEC recruiting-wise. Nonetheless head coach Hugh Freeze and his staff has done a remarkable job of recruiting thus far. Here are the commits for y’all to get to know a little better before National Signing Day.

Signed Letter of Intent

D.J. Jones: four star defensive tackle from East Mississippi Community College in Scooba, Mississippi. His native town is Pelzer, South Carolina.

He told GreenvilleOnline.com this back when he was a commit to Florida State Seminoles before he switched: “Before that,” he said, “Ole Miss was on me hard. After that, they were on me hard. They never stopped.”

Here is the video provided by the publication of his commit:

Here is the highlights video from EMCC Athletics. He’ll look great throwing up the Landshark for the Rebels!

Tony Bridges: four star corner back from Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College in Perkinston, Mississippi. He switched from Auburn to Ole Miss last November.

“I committed to Ole Miss,” Bridges told AL.com. “Family-wise, my mother wanted me to be closer to home. First and foremost, you have to love the coaching staff and football players. I love the players at Auburn, but I love the Ole Miss players too. Campus-wise, I love everything about it.”

Here is his highlights reel provided by Scouts.com of him in action in 2013.

Chad Kelly: three star quarterback from East Mississippi Community College in Scooba, Mississippi. His native town is Buffalo, New York.

Despite Kelly’s involvement in a brawl outside of a nightclub in Buffalo, New York the quarterback signee is in Oxford practicing with the Rebels. A look-over of his Instagram reveals Chad Kelly’s love for Ole Miss.

Here is a highlights video provided by EMCC Athletics of his season last year.

Terry Caldwell: three star outside linebacker from Northwest Mississippi Community College in Senatobia, Mississippi.

“I just wanted to be a part of the Ole Miss program because I loved how they played defense, and I love their core values,” Caldwell said to Scouts.com. “I am a big believer in Christ too. It was just a perfect fit for me.”

Caldwell was expected to enroll in January at Ole Miss and will have two seasons of eligibility beginning in 2015.

Here is an interview video of him provided by Northwest Community College.

Hard Commits

Javon Patterson: five star offensive guard from Petal High School in Petal, Mississippi.

“Coach Freeze and Coach Luke are great people, great encouragers, and they’re great coaches,” Patterson said to Oxford Citizen last November. “I like the way they took the initiative with me. Going in early is something I wanted to do. I’m going to be there in two months, so that’s a short amount of time, but I think going in early will give me an edge going into learn the offense and compete for a spot.”

He graduated from Petal High School in winter and enrolled at University of Mississippi as early as the winter session.

Here is a video by John Garcia Jr. of Patterson at Birmingham Nike camp last April.

Drew Richmond: four star offensive tackle at Memphis University School in Memphis, Tennessee.

The Clarion-Ledger reported this of Richmond’s summer visits to Oxford:

“Richmond, who’s ranked as the nation’s No. 2 overall offensive tackle, called spending time with Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze the favorite part of his visit. ‘He’s like family,’ he said. ‘I’m very close with him.'”

Here is a video by John Garcia Jr. of Richmond at the Birmingham Nike camp:

Leo Lewis: four star inside linebacker from Brookhaven, Mississippi.

“I want to play for the coaches that recruited me,” he said to the The Clarion-Ledger. “I feel very comfortable with the (Ole Miss) coaching staff and and I’m pretty sure they’re not going anywhere anytime soon.”

Lewis said even before his commitment he would talk to the Ole Miss coaches “24-7.” His relationship with linebackers coach Tom Allen gave him confidence in his choice.

Here is a highlights video from PrepForce.com.

Van Jefferson: four star wide receiver commit from Brentwood, Tennessee. He switched from University of Georgia and announced his commitment to Ole Miss Rebels on Twitter.

Jefferson revealed to 247sports.com’s Barton Simmons that he had always wanted to go to Ole Miss. He only needed his father’s blessings about that decision.

Here is a highlights video by PrepForce.com.

Eric Swinney: four star running back commit from Sandy Creek in Tyrone, Georgia.

His high school coach Chip Walker said to Todd Holcomb of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution:

“Swinney is a downhill, hit-it-hard guy that’s going. Both can run around you and make you miss, and both can catch the ball really good, but Swinney is very physical when he runs the football. You can see times on tape last year in big games late where it looks like they don’t want to tackle him anymore.”

Here is his highlights video from from PrepForce.com.

Armani Linton: four star safety from Walnut Attendance Center in Walnut, Mississippi.

Here is a video of him throwing up the landshark by Brandon Speck. We can’t wait to see red and blue on him!

Willie Hibbler: three star athlete commit from North Panola in Sardis, Mississippi.

The football player gave the Rebels a bit of heart disease when he was dismissed from North Panola for missing the summer workouts but he was welcomed back to the team after an understanding there was a miscommunication between him and the high school coaches. He’ll be heading to Ole Miss soon!

Here is a video of Hibbler’s “top play” by MaxPreps.

Cameron Ordway: three-star cornerback from Pulaski, Tennessee.

Ordway, who shares the same hometown with former quarterback Bo Wallace, committed to Ole Miss last September.

Here is a highlights video by PrepForce.com.

Jason Pellerin: three star dual-threat quarterback from Catholic-New Iberia, Louisiana.

He talked to Julie Bowden at NOLA.com last December about his commitment to Ole Miss:

“I thought about that whenever I committed to Ole Miss and I thought about if LSU was to offer later down the road that it wouldn’t affect me, and right now it wouldn’t affect me at all, so who knows, it’s recruiting. It’s a crazy business.”

He talks more about his commitment to Ole Miss in a video interview with John Davis.

Rasool Clemons: four star defensive end from South Aiken High School in Aiken, South Carolina.

He made the commitment yesterday morning after his official visit to Ole Miss athletics this past weekend during the Recruiting Weekend.

“It feels like home and family,” Clemons told 247Sports recruiting analyst Ryan Bartow after he committed. “I got along with all of the players. Me and DJ Jones got real cool just being with him this weekend. I love the city and the people. I see myself going here if I didn’t have football.”

Here is a video highlights of Rasool Clemons by The Inside Blitz.

Alex Givens: three star offensive tackle from Nashville Christian School in Nashville, Tennesse.

Here is a highlights and interview video with Alex Givens at Rivals Under Armour Camp in Birmingham, Alabama by sportscodeblog.

Michael Howard: three star offensive tackle commit from Clay High School in Green Cove Springs, Florida. The player has had over 20 offers but his only official visit was to Ole Miss. Hotty Toddy!

Jordus Smith: three-star cornerback commit from Gulfport High School in Gulfport, Mississippi.

His video highlights of his high school career are available on Hudl.com.

Zedrick Woods: three-star outside linebacker from Columbia High School in Lake City, Florida.

His video highlights of his high school career are available on Hudl.com.

Callie Daniels is a staff reporter at HottyToddy.com. She can be reached at callie.daniels@hottytoddy.com.