Ole Miss has been slow out of the blocks when recruiting the 2026 class, holding commitments from just three players. It's not unusual for Lane Kiffin to have a slow start, and they did land a top 20 class in 2025.
On3 transfer expert Steve Wilftong has dropped one of his famous 'Fong Bong' predictions for the Rebels to land a top-10 quarterback from the 2026 recruiting class. No.10 ranked Landon Duckworth is the recruit, and Wilftong is 50% confident he will be heading to Oxford.
FONG BOMB: On3’s @SWiltfong_ has logged an expert prediction for Ole Miss to land 4-star QB Landon Duckworth🦈
— On3 Recruits (@On3Recruits) April 7, 2025
Duckworth is the No. 6 QB in the 2026 class.
Read: https://t.co/OtxjsHQdm5 pic.twitter.com/yJ0k9vYlm4
Duckworth, out of Jackson, Alabama, is ranked the No. 4 player in the state and the No.56 player in the nation. The 6-foot-3 dual-threat player has an official visit to Oxford set for June 20. At the end of March, he visited unofficially and chatted with Lane Kiffin, who undoubtedly made a good impression on the 2026 talent.
Ole Miss looks to be going in heavy on a quarterback from the 2026 class. Duckworth seems to be the No. 1 target, but they have also shown interest in several other options.
The No.6 ranked QB is Ryder Lyons, who has just come off a visit to Oxford. He is a four-star prospect at On3, but others have him as a five-star. Ole Miss has a chance, with Lyon's high school teammate and wide receiver Jameson Powell already committed to the Rebels. However, he will likely head to either USC or Oregon.
Luke Fahey and Rees Wise are two other names linked to Ole Miss, with a few small rumors about several others. However, Kiffin seems keen on Duckworth; if he does land a commitment, he may back off a little from others.
We still don't know what we will get from Austin Simmons and AJ Maddox, but if one turns out a bonafide starter, it's two years of good quarterback play. Duckworth could sit behind for one year and be the next starter in Oxford.