𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐰𝐚𝐯𝐞: 𝐁𝐘𝐔 & 𝐅𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐚 𝐡𝐨𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 𝐑𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐬 𝐓𝐨𝐩 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐅𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐤 𝐭𝐨 …

Ole Miss Surging in 2026 Recruiting Race as Top Prospects Set Decision Dates

Lane Kiffin and the Ole Miss football program are continuing to make major waves on the recruiting trail. With a strong focus on talent acquisition for the 2026 class, the Rebels have been among the most active and successful programs this offseason, climbing steadily in national recruiting rankings while setting their sights on several key high school prospects.

Coming off a successful haul from the NCAA Transfer Portal, which ranked among the nation’s best, the Rebels have transitioned their attention toward building their future through high school recruiting. The results are beginning to show. As of now, Ole Miss has cracked the Top 25 in national team rankings for the 2026 class, sitting at No. 20 overall. This upward trajectory has seen them surpass several notable programs, including BYU, UCLA, and SMU, in the past few weeks alone.

While BYU currently leads Ole Miss in total commitments — with 21 pledges, highlighted by elite quarterback Ryder Lyons — the Rebels’ quality over quantity strategy appears to be paying dividends. With 14 commitments already in hand, Kiffin and his staff are looking to bolster their class even further in the coming weeks.

In fact, recruiting insiders believe Ole Miss could make another leap up the rankings — possibly into the Top 17 — depending on how a few key decisions play out in late July and early August. Two high-profile defensive players are at the center of this next wave of recruitment: four-star safety Nascar McCoy and four-star linebacker Anthony Davis.

Ole Miss Making Late Push for Elite Safety Nascar McCoy

One of the top defensive backs in the state of Georgia, Nascar McCoy, is nearing the end of his recruitment process, and Ole Miss is making a serious push. The 6-foot, 180-pound safety out of Buford High School — one of the state’s most prestigious football programs — recently trimmed his list to five schools: Ole Miss, Georgia, Miami, Michigan, and Texas A&M.

McCoy, a four-star recruit, is set to announce his college decision on Friday, July 25, and the Rebels are emerging as a strong contender. Over the course of the summer, Ole Miss has been increasing its efforts to land the Peach State standout. Multiple recruiting outlets have suggested that Ole Miss is “trending upward” in McCoy’s recruitment, and the Rebels have reportedly made a strong impression following his campus visit.

In an interview with On3 Sports, McCoy called his time in Oxford “amazing,” a sentiment that has been echoed by several recruiting analysts. His positive experience during the visit — combined with Ole Miss’s growing defensive reputation and a clear path to early playing time — have helped make Kiffin’s program a legitimate favorite.

According to Rivals.com, McCoy is now on “commitment watch” for Ole Miss, and the Rebels are seen as the frontrunner to land him, potentially beating out in-state powerhouse Georgia and ACC contender Miami. With McCoy’s decision now just days away, the Rebels could add a major piece to their 2026 defensive backfield.

Top-20 Linebacker Anthony Davis Eyes Ole Miss Among Finalists

Another major name to watch in Ole Miss’s recruiting efforts is linebacker Anthony Davis, a highly sought-after defender out of Florida. The 6-foot-1, 190-pound athlete is ranked among the top 20 linebackers nationally and has narrowed his decision down to four finalists: Ole Miss, Alabama, Michigan, and Auburn.

Davis is set to announce his commitment on August 2, and his decision is one of the most anticipated in the Southeast. What’s helping Ole Miss stand out? According to Davis, it’s the way the Rebels have pursued him personally and demonstrated a clear vision for his role on the team.

Davis has made multiple trips to Oxford this year, including an unofficial visit on April 17 and a multi-day official visit in mid-June. After both visits, he expressed admiration for the coaching staff, particularly the defensive coordinator, who took extensive time to walk him through the team’s scheme and how Davis would fit into it.

Speaking to On3, Davis said: “The hospitality they showed me and my family was like no other. I sat down with the DC for an hour just going over how I fit their scheme and it was great.”

His official visit further strengthened that bond. “Ole Miss has made things interesting,” Davis added. “The hospitality and the way they want to play for me really caught my attention.”

Although Davis also took official visits to Alabama, Michigan, and Auburn, it’s now becoming clear that Ole Miss and Michigan have separated themselves from the pack. Rivals.com has characterized the race between the Rebels and Wolverines as a “heated battle” for Davis’s signature.

Landing Davis would be another significant win for Lane Kiffin and his staff, especially considering the caliber of competition involved in his recruitment. A player of Davis’s athleticism and intelligence could anchor the Rebels’ linebacker unit for years to come.

Ole Miss Recruiting Class Outlook and Future Expectations

As it stands, Ole Miss’s 2026 recruiting class is filled with promise. With 14 commitments already in the books, the Rebels are chasing even more high-impact players to close out the summer. The class is balanced with both offensive and defensive talent, but the focus on bolstering the defense — particularly in the secondary and linebacker corps — is clearly paying off.

If they secure commitments from both Nascar McCoy and Anthony Davis, Ole Miss could make a serious leap into the Top 15 in the national rankings, something that would underscore just how far Kiffin’s recruiting strategy has come in recent cycles.

This latest momentum builds on Ole Miss’s broader approach to team-building — a combination of carefully targeted high school recruiting and aggressive work in the transfer portal. With Kiffin at the helm, the Rebels have become known for their flexibility and adaptability in building competitive rosters quickly.

The 2026 class is shaping up as one of the strongest in recent memory for Ole Miss, and the decisions in late July and early August could be game-changing. If Kiffin and company can land both McCoy and Davis, the Rebels will not only solidify their top-20 status but could find themselves in serious contention to crack the top 10 by National Signing Day.

As always in college football, recruiting is a fluid process. But one thing is certain: Ole Miss is trending in the right direction, and the rest of the SEC — and the nation — is beginning to take notice.