Five-Star Friday

Jul 10, 2014; Beaverton, OR, USA; Defensive lineman Rashan Gary (97) looks on from the sidelines during Nike Football

It may seem like ages ago now, but there once was a time when Ole Miss was fighting off Memphis, Louisiana Tech and Wake Forest for recruits – and oftentimes losing. Fans would take to the message boards to hear the latest on a 6’1 offensive tackle from Atlanta who “could have the potential to be a starter in a few years.” Luckily, those days are over.

Ole Miss is now competing for the top players in the country with regularity, battling with the likes of USC, Alabama and Florida State for elite recruits – and winning. In his first recruiting class, head coach Hugh Freeze signed Channing Ward. Then in 2013, he signed Robert Nkemdiche, Lavon Hooks, Laquon Treadwell, Tony Conner and Laremy Tunsil. The next two years he signed Rod Taylor, Damarkus Lodge and Javon Patterson. All of those players were five-stars on at least one of the major recruiting websites. It is no longer an anomaly or instance of circumstance for Ole Miss to sign a top recruit, it’s commonplace.

The 2016 cycle figures to be no different as the Rebels already have two five-stars, defensive tackle Benito Jones (ESPN) and quarterback Shea Patterson (Scout and Rivals), already in the boat. Another, wide receiver D.K. Metcalf, is right on the cusp and could re-earn the fifth star he lost before National Signing Day has come and gone. While you never know how a kid is going to truly pan out until sometimes his sophomore or junior year, it is still a telling sign quite often that a kid is rated with five stars.

On Fridays we are now offering up a segment where we detail the trends on where Ole Miss stands with each five-star. This includes any player that is rated a five-star on Rivals, Scout, ESPN or 247. Now, we are not going to waste your time with discussions on five-stars where Ole Miss is not in the game. For instance, we will not discuss Georgia-commit Jacob Eason. That’s not to say that Ole Miss doesn’t have a chance with a five-star we don’t mention, it just means they are not considered a serious contender at the present time.

Rashan Gary, DT, Paramus, N.J.

Five-star on ESPN (No. 1), Scout (1), 247 (2), Rivals (6)

Wherever you think Gary is going to go, depends on what region of the country you live in. Some folks in the Northeast believe that he stays home at Rutgers. Those in the Midwest see an Ohio State and Michigan battle. In the South, it is Auburn, Alabama or Ole Miss. It really is a toss-up at this point for someone to guess where he is leaning, but one thing is for sure: Mama will have a big say in this one.

Gary does not have any 247 Crystal Balls for the Rebels at this point as Alabama leads with 42 percent. Don’t discount the Rebs, however, as Gary has spoken highly of Ole Miss and the relationships forged between the coaches and Gary/Mama. He has already taken one unofficial visit this summer and is scheduled for another. There’s no question the coaches are pointing out how a former No. 1 overall player that plays on the defensive line signed with Ole Miss, started as a freshman, became an All-American, and is slated to be a top 10 pick in the draft, Robert Nkemdiche.

Greg Little, OT, Allen, TX

ESPN (2), 247 (2), Scout (6), Rivals (9)

Little has been a long-time commit to the Aggies and for good reason. Texas A&M has produced a first round offensive tackle in each of the last three NFL Drafts, he is a Texas native and their offensive system is appealing to many. A couple months ago, grumblings started around the recruiting world that Little was no longer certain with his decision. Since then, he has been linked heavily to Alabama and Ole Miss with most prognosticators outside of College Station with the Aggies now running in third for his services.

Alabama has a lot to sell to an offensive lineman and have been pegged by most as the leader at this point (funny how little the term “commitment” means in recruiting). What may hurt Alabama is how their vast depth at each position almost eliminates playing time with true freshmen, particularly on the offensive line. That notion was challenged last year as Cam Robinson started at left tackle as a true freshman and thrived. As history will tell us, that was more of an exception than a rule, and even then, Robinson will be a junior during Little’s freshman year. That means Little will either sit as a freshman or get plugged in at a less natural spot on the line before assuming LT duties in 2017.

Ole Miss can use the same Nkemdiche-Gary logic with Little and the current left tackle, Tunsil. The Rebels got an elite talent at tackle, started him as a freshman, he was hugely successful and may wind up as the top pick in next year’s draft. Little could theoretically follow the exact same path and likely will should he choose the Rebels. You may not hear it from national pundits, but Ole Miss is squarely in the game for the Texan.

Rashard Lawrence, DT, Monroe, LA

ESPN (6), Rivals (78), Scout (9), 247 (12)

It’s no secret that prying a kid out of Louisiana from the claws of LSU is no small feat. Experts on 247 tend to agree as the Tigers show 100 percent on the Crystal Ball. There are two pieces of information that lessen the Tiger stranglehold on Lawrence’s recruitment, however. The first is the LSU class numbers: so far, they have 17 players committed and five are on the defensive line with a potential flip from Houston commit Ed Oliver possibly looming. The second is Monroe’s proximity to Baton Rouge is not as close as say its proximity to Oxford, Mississippi. In recent years, numerous prospects have left Monroe for other schools, notably Robinson, Cam Sims and Hootie Jones to Alabama.

Lawrence has real interest in Ole Miss and Freeze still has a chance with the blue chip lineman. If LSU is truly focused on getting as many defensive lineman as possible, he very well could end up in the Bayou. But this one is far from wrapped up for the purple and gold, and don’t be surprised if he inks with Ole Miss in February.

Willie Allen, OT, River Ridge, LA

ESPN (4), 247 (26), Scout (39), Rivals (67)

Allen’s stock has fallen in recent weeks as he appears to be more raw than a guy like Little. Still, there is a reason why all the big boys offered Allen so early, he has massive potential. It appears there are only four schools in the mix for the big guy: Alabama, Auburn, LSU and Ole Miss. If Alabama or Ole Miss lands Little, that will in all likelihood remove them from the running. According to some LSU beat writers, the Tigers have cooled a little bit on the in-state prospect.

This is probably the uncommitted prospect on this list Ole Miss has the best chance to ink. Auburn has emerged lately as a serious threat but Ole Miss, especially if they miss on Little, will not go down without a fight. This could be one that goes up until February.

Obviously this list is omitting Patterson and Jones, but there isn’t much to worry about with either. Jones is still flirting with Alabama and has Mississippi State ties. He is one to keep an eye on but at the moment seems like a hard commitment for Ole Miss. Patterson, the crown jewel of the class, has not answered phone calls from other schools since committing and is as solid as it gets. No matter what happens with these five-stars and the rest of the recruiting field, it will be a fun and wild ride for the next seven months.