OXFORD, Miss. — The SEC recruiting wars are heating up, and Lane Kiffin is once again at the center of the action when it comes to flipping Tennessee 5-star wide receiver commit Tristen Keys.
One 247sports report says the Rebels are doing all they can to get the Mississippi native to stay home.
“Ole Miss is trying, the Rebels are doing all that they can to flip him, but from all accounts, he’s a through-and-through [Volunteer]. His recruitment is over, according to sources.” -Tom Loy, 247sports
Keys, a standout from Hattiesburg High School, flipped his committed to Tennessee in August after initially committing to LSU and Brian Kelly in March.
Fourth-year coach Josh Huepel has assembled an impressive 2026 recruiting class that is headlined by a trio of 5-star pledges in quarterback Fazion Brandon, the No. 1 player in the nation and Keys, ranked as the No. 1 wideout nationally, according to 247sports.
The Volunteers’ class ranks No. 8 nationally, but No. 5 among SEC teams behind Georgia, Alabama, Texas A&M and Texas.
With coach Lane Kiffin’s Rebels surging in the SEC standings and gaining national attention along with a possible College Football Playoff berth, the pitch from Oxford is growing louder.
“Lane Kiffin is relentless,” said Steve Wiltfong, Director of Recruiting at 247Sports. “He’s not afraid to go after committed players if he believes they fit his system. Keys is a game-changer, and Ole Miss knows it.”
The Rebels have already hosted Keys on an unofficial visit, with the program giving him all he needs to a star in Kiffin’s sophisticated offensive system.
Ole Miss’ track record in player development such as producing multiple NFL caliber receivers, including Jonathan Mingo and Elijah Moore could factor into Keys’ decision if he wants to stay closer to home after all.
Tennessee, meanwhile, remains confident in its ability to retain Keys. “We’re building something special here,” said Vols head coach Josh Heupel in a recent press conference. “Our staff is committed to developing elite talent and keeping them in Knoxville.”
While Keys has not publicly commented on his interest with the Ole Miss program, Heupel’s battle to keep him in the fold is probably far from over, especially with the Early National Signing period still a couple of months away.
This isn’t the first time Kiffin has targeted a high-profile SEC commit recently either.
Earlier this year, Ole Miss pursued Auburn 4-star wide receiver pledge Jase Mathews, from Leakesville.
While Mathews ultimately stuck with Auburn following his official visits in the summer, the aggressive approach signals Kiffin’s intent to elevate Ole Miss’ recruiting profile to a national scale.
The Rebels currently hold onto the No. 19 class in the nation with commitments from nine 4-star prospects.
Ole Miss 2026 Commits
4-star RB Damarius Yates
4-star LB Ja’Michael Garrett
4-star TE JC Anderson
4-star DE Landon Barnes
4-star DL Emanuel Tucker
4-star DB Craig Tutt
4-star WR Corey Barber
4-star DB Dorian Barney
4-star LB Anthony Davis
3-star DB Nascar McCoy
3-star RB Ja’Michael Jones
3-star WR Jameson Powell
3-sar DL Jayden Curtis
3-star DB Iverson McCoy
3-star DL Carmelow Reed
3-star ATH Jett Goldsberry
3-star OL Ryan Miret
3-star QB Reese Wise
3-star DB Braylen Williams
