OXFORD, Miss. — Ole Miss has surged to the front of the line for one of Mississippi’s brightest football prospects, according to Billy Embody at On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine (RPM).
The move, confirmed Tuesday, could put Rebels coach Lane Kiffin on the verge of landing a prized 4-star talent, an edge rusher whose decision could tilt the balance of power in a state that lives and breathes football.
The player in question is widely believed to be Corey Wells, a four-star defensive lineman from Petal, Miss., whose athleticism and size have drawn offers from a host of SEC giants.
According to On3’s RPM, the industry’s most-watched recruiting prediction tool, Ole Miss now leads the race for Wells, nudging ahead of both Alabama and Mississippi State in what has become one of the most closely watched recruiting battles of the summer.
For Lane Kiffin, whose recruiting acumen has become a point of pride and a necessity in the SEC’s cutthroat landscape, this latest development is more than a headline—it’s a statement.
“We’re always looking for guys who want to compete at the highest level and represent Mississippi with pride,” Kiffin said earlier this year, alluding to the importance of keeping homegrown talent in-state.
Wells, who stands 6-foot-4 and weighs 265 pounds, has been a disruptive force on the defensive line for Petal High. His senior season is still ahead, but his junior year numbers with double-digit sacks, relentless pursuit, and a knack for big plays that has recruiters lining up.
“He’s got a motor you just don’t see in many kids,” said Petal coach Marcus Boyles. “Wherever he goes, he’s going to make a difference from day one.”
The RPM pick comes at a crucial time. Ole Miss’s 2025 recruiting class already sits near the top 15 nationally, and the addition of Wells would mark another feather in Kiffin’s cap.
“It’s about building depth and keeping the best players in Mississippi at home,” said MacKenzie Morris, Ole Miss’s director of recruiting, in a recent interview.
Recruiting insiders see the On3 RPM pick as a high-confidence signal.
“When you see the RPM swing this late in the process, it usually means a coach or staffer has done something to separate themselves,” said Embody, On3’s recruiting analyst, on a recent Ole Miss Spirit podcast. “Ole Miss has put itself in a position to close.”
Wells’s decision, while not yet official, could make some waves. Rivals are sure to intensify their pitches, and the coming weeks will be a test of Ole Miss’s resolve to see the process through.
“Recruiting is never over until the ink is dry,” Kiffin has said, a nod to the drama that often plays out behind the scenes.
The broader context is hard to ignore. The SEC’s arms race has only intensified with the arrival of Texas and Oklahoma, and every commitment is scrutinized for what it means in the bigger picture. Ole Miss’s class, ranked as high as 16th by composite metrics, is quietly stacking talent at key positions.
For Wells, the decision will shape not just his future, but potentially the trajectory of an Ole Miss defense in need of disruptive playmakers.
Don’t look for much to slow down as recruiting heads into the crucial months ahead of the early signing date in December for the 2026 class.
