OXFORD, Miss. — Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin and highly-touted quarterbacks have gone hand in hand for many years. Now he’s looking at another one from Lousiana.
Throughout his five seasons with the Rebels, Kiffin has produced exciting offenses predicated on a power run game and exceptional quarterback play.
While 2027 is a few years off, Ole Miss’ staff have their eyes set on a budding Benton, La., sophomore star Malachi Zeigler. Three of four national recruiting services have published an evaluation with each ranking him a 4-star, top-50 prospect and top-10 player at his position, according to On3’s Industry Ranking.
Zeigler has nearly a dozen offers notably from Ole Miss, Arkansas, Oklahoma State, SMU, Mississippi State and LSU. The 6-foot-3, 195 pound passer visited the Rebels this weekend while hosting Kentucky.
“My visit to The Sip was great,” Zeigler said. “The coaches and fans are really great and passionate about the team. My parents and I enjoyed a great conversation with Coach [DJ] Mann.”
Since Kiffin has taken over in Oxford, the Rebels have been on an unprecedented trajectory as playoff contenders. Despite a heartbreaking loss to the Wildcats, the Rebels’ vibe remains positive, according to Zeigler.
“The campus and facilities are great,” Zeigler said. “The program seems to be headed in a positive direction under Coach Kiffin. Although the game didn’t go the way it may have been expected, the attitude of the players was still positive. That’s a direct reflection of the culture that [Kiffin] is trying to create there.”
Going into week five, Zeigler has amassed 530 yards passing with four touchdowns. He’s also done damage on the ground rushing for roughly 300 yards and three scores.
Benton, Louisiana coach Reynolds Moore is very high on his talented quarterback. Zeigler’s not only improving each week but with each possession.
“He really has gotten better every single week,” Moore said. “Really every series he’s played I’ve seen growth. He is already a special player, but his ceiling very high!”
