Ole Miss Recruiting: This past week has been hard to swallow for many Rebel fans

Looking ahead to the 2015 season, how many of you now wished we had back-to-back matchups against Tennessee? That circled through my head a couple of times yesterday.

This closing week into National Signing Day has been nothing more than a drama fest for Ole Miss. It is in these kinds of moments that makes one ready for those dotted lines to be signed and the recruiting season to come to an end.

Heading into this week, Ole Miss was fresh off a commitment from four-star wide receiver Van Jefferson, and the Rebels recruiting class was starting to take shape into a potiential top ten recruiting class. Freeze and his staff were well on their way to something spectacular as the 2013 class.

Then, Brookhaven’s four-star linebacker prospect Leo Lewis decommitted from Ole Miss, which indicates a huge blow to potiential depth to the Landshark defense. With the loss of Keith Lewis, Serderius Bryant, and DT Shackelford (all three linebackers) due to graduation after the 2014 season, the depth at linebacker was obviously looking thin. There were little concerns of that a week ago, as Lewis would have add that need of depth. Lewis would have been an immediate player, and could have made a huge impact as early as year one with the Rebels. Even though Lewis has left every thing open leading into National Signing Day, including the Rebels, all sources are pointing to LSU.

The big concerns in depth has been the Ole Miss offensive line. That is okay, because the Rebels were going to be bringing in a five-star Memphis prospect to fill those gaps. I have not seen a more better all around offensive tackle then Drew Richmond out of this year’s class. He has the perfect size and complete blocking skills to be the next Laremy Tunsil. Yes, that says a lot about the kid. Richmond had been committed to Ole Miss since September, and the Rebels had felt comfortable with his decision every since.

However, after he made late visit to Tennessee, 247Sports.com’s David Johnson reported late on Monday that Richmond decommitted from Ole Miss, and is now a heavy lean towards Tennessee. Many had speculated that Richmond could reconsider signing with the Rebels on NSD, but after RedCupRebellion.com pointed out that Coach Hugh Freeze had unfollowed Richmond on Twitter, it could only suggest that the communication line between the two had been cut.

The cut from communication between Richmond and Freeze could have also resulted from the Twitter war that was fueled by Vols’ commit Kahlil McKenzie on Saturday night. The five-star defensive tackle prospect proclaimed that Richmond was flipping his commitment to Tennessee before anything became official. He made this announcement towards Coach Freeze.

McKenzie’s tweet got Ole Miss’ offensive lineman Robert Conyers to remind McKenzie of the result of last season’s matchup between Ole Miss and Tennessee. Freeze congratulated Conyers, leaving McKenzie out of the conversation. This apparently didn’t settle well for McKenzie as he ignited back with insult towards Freeze.

All tweets between the three have recently been deleted. However, this didn’t stop the full support Freeze received, including from current players like defensive end C.J. Johnson.

For what it is worth, McKenzie did express a profound apology to Freeze moments after his initial tweet back lashed on him.

Ole Miss’ class may have taken a huge blow with loss commitments of Richmond and Lewis, but it is likely Ole Miss can rebound with a few big signees late tomorrow. Stay right here at Ole Hotty Toddy for all the latest National Signing Day announcements.