Rebels strike gold in Tennessee with four-star safety commitment

Four-star safety Craig Tutt has committed to play football for Ole Miss, marking a significant addition to the Rebels’ 2026 recruiting class. Tutt, a standout from Oakland High School in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, announced his decision on July 18, 2025, choosing Ole Miss over fellow SEC contenders Tennessee and Auburn.

This was a massive win for Ole Miss Head Coach Lane Kiffin and Defensive Coordinator Pete Golding to pull one of the top players out of Tennessee that the Volunteers were hot after. This is also another blue chip commitment after a slew of them a couple of weeks back for the Rebels.

Tutt is highly regarded in recruiting circles, ranked as the 117th player nationally, the No. 9 safety nationally and the No. 5 overall player in Tennessee by On3. His junior season was particularly impressive; he showcased his versatility, contributing on both sides of the ball.

As a running back, he added more than 1,600 all-purpose yards to go along with 22 touchdowns. As a defensive back, where he projects more at the next level, he tallied 64 tackles, one interception, seven pass deflections, and two forced fumbles.

Tutt cited the team culture, coaching staff, and welcoming Oxford community as pivotal factors behind his commitment. He emphasized that his choice was driven by a desire for personal and athletic growth rather than by NIL offers. In talking with Cecil Joyce of the Murfreesboro Daily News Journal, Tutt had this to say, "But ultimately I felt like it came down to the players, the coaches, the culture and the city. It's just a great place to be, and it felt like home as soon as I walked in."

This is now the 14th commitment for the Rebels 2026 class, which now has a total of 7 four-stars in the class. Tutt comes in as the 5th highest ranked player in the class according to the On3 composite rankings. Also, according to On3, Ole Miss is now up to the 20th class in the country and 9th in the SEC with the addition of Tutt to the class.