Ole Miss becomes school number 5 for 2026 linebacker Izayia Williams

Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Ole Miss landed a commitment courtesy of the No. 1 linebacker in the 2026 class today. Izayia Williams was committed to Florida but flipped to the Rebels. Williams had a recent visit to Oxford, and it looks like talking with the coaches and Lane Kiffin has made it hard to refuse to be a Rebel.

As mentioned, Williams is ranked the No.1 linebacker in the class, per On3. According to the On3 Industry Ranking, the Flordia native is ranked the No.3 LB, the No.41 player nationality, and the No.3 player in his home state.

It's a significant flip for Ole Miss. However, it does come with its concerns. The Rebels are the fifth team Williams has committed to in his recruiting process. It started with Louisville, and then he decommitted and committed to Syracuse. The exact process continued as he was at Florida State and Florida. This is the first time he has flipped his commitment rather than decommitted from a team, if that can be taken as a positive for Ole Miss.

If he does end up sticking it out with the Rebels, it's excellent news, but his track record does not hold you with much hope, with still around 10 months to go. With him being a top prospect, schools will keep fighting for his services, so Kiffin may need to keep him in his ear, with him looking like that type of recruit. Kiffin is experienced enough to know what needs to be done and see what will happen.

The new commit means Ole Miss sits just outside the top 20 in team recruiting ranks, now at No.21. Kiffin has his eyes on some top talent, primarily in-state, with Mississippi looking very fruitful in 2026. Don't be surprised to see the Rebels have another top-20 class.

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