Two of the nation’s most sought-after high school quarterbacks arrived in Oxford, Miss., this weekend. Each is viewed as a potential cornerstone for Ole Miss’ next era.
Quarterback recruiting has become both an arms race and a high-stakes courtship in the SEC these days. This June, the Rebels are making their move, hosting a pair of blue-chip signal-callers whose decisions could be huge.
The names most on the minds of Rebels fans is Bryson Beaver, a four-star standout who recently earned national praise at the Elite 11 Finals—and Rees Wise, the Westlake prodigy whose commitment to Ole Miss in April sent waves across the region.
Wise, already locked in as a Rebel, was back in Oxford this weekend, helping court future teammates and, perhaps, his own competition.
“How they play is the type of football I want to play,” Wise said. I feel like there is no better place for me than Ole Miss,” Wise said.
For Beaver, the stakes are different. Having ascended to No. 3 on On3’s Top Performer list at the Elite 11 Finals, he’s become a prized commodity, one Ole Miss is determined to win over in the final weeks before the summer recruiting dead period.
The campus visits are not mere formality.
“They really made it feel like home,” one quarterback target said, emphasizing the personal approach Kiffin and his staff are taking with each prospect.
For recruits and their families, it’s the small details, personalized tours, meetings with faculty, and the infectious energy of Oxford’s community, that can tip the scales against suitors like LSU, Auburn, and Texas, all vying for the same arms.
For Kiffin, who has already added 23 new faces to his 2025 roster, securing another marquee quarterback is more than a roster move, it’s a statement of intent.
The Rebels’ current recruiting class ranks No. 16 nationally, sixth in the SEC, and is widely viewed as a signpost that Kiffin’s program is firmly in the playoff conversation.
This surge is happening in a conference where quarterback play often spells the difference between New Year’s Day glory and late-autumn irrelevance. Last year’s starter, Austin Simmons, steps in for Jaxson Dart, now an NFL first-round pick, a reminder of how quickly fortunes can shift at the position.
Beyond the visits, the Rebels’ quarterback board remains crowded with talent.
The staff has maintained offers to out-of-state prospects—including California’s Madden Iamaleava and Florida’s Carter Smith while also keeping tabs on in-state risers like Jevarion Glover. It’s the relationship-building, not just the ranking, that has set this cycle apart.
“Lane Kiffin is a genius when it comes to offense,” said one recruit’s father, “and you can feel that vision when you’re here.”
On social media, the buzz is palpable.
“The Sip is calling class of 2027…and you have to answer!” read a post from the official recruiting account, capturing the program’s pitch to the next wave of talent.
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Fans and analysts alike have taken to message boards and podcasts, dissecting every hint, every cryptic emoji, every handshake photo snapped during campus tours.
The stakes are higher than ever.
“If you want to compete in the SEC,” said one longtime observer, “you need a quarterback room that’s two-deep with blue-chip talent. One injury, one transfer, and your whole season can change.”
As the visits wrap up, the Rebels’ message remains clear that Oxford is not just a stopover—it’s a destination.
“They made it feel like family,” one recruit said, echoing a sentiment that has become the program’s unofficial mantra.
or the quarterbacks weighing their futures, the decision is about more than depth charts and NIL deals, it’s about where they’ll write the next chapter of their football lives.
By the time the dead period arrives and the campus grows quiet, the impact of these June visits will linger.
Whether it’s Wise’s steady arm, Beaver’s big-play prowess, or another rising star yet to go public, the race for the Rebels’ future under center is very much alive. And in Oxford, hope always springs eternal.
As the SEC’s recruiting calendar barrels forward, one thing is certain: the quarterback battles of tomorrow are being fought today, in the meeting rooms and on the manicured fields of Ole Miss.
The winners will shape not just the Rebels’ fortunes, but the balance of power across college football’s fiercest conference.
