After a whirlwind of recruiting activity last week, the next few weeks will be relatively calm.
Monday marked the start of the NCAA’s dead period where coaches are not allowed to have any in-person recruiting contact or visits with prospective student-athletes. They’re still allowed to communicate digitally (calls, texts, emails, etc.).
The period lasts until March 1, which should makes things quiet on the recruiting front. But there’ll still be recruiting news and recruits narrow down their lists of top schools.
Or in some cases, add a late contender to their list like four-star safety Jarrell Chandler.
Back in December, Chandler announced his top 10 schools that included Arkansas, Florida State, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, SMU, Tennessee and Vanderbilt. He’s already taken visits to Georgia, Tennessee and Vanderbilt.
However, OMSpirit’s Zach Berry is reporting that Ole Miss is now in the mix.
“I’ve been thinking about it since around the end of the season,” Chandler told Rivals. “The last few weeks, talking to coaches really helped me. Seeing who stayed in contact meant a lot, and visits played a role too. I also looked at who I really want to see this next year.”
New Ole Miss coach Pete Golding and assistant Jake Schoonover must’ve had a really good visit with Chandler last week to get the Rebels on the Halls (Knoxville, Tenn.) safety.
Thank you for stopping by this morning @CoachSchoonie #OleMissRebels @CoachHughes56 @PennySmith_ @Grade_aTraining @HallsHighSports @TomLoy247 @ChadSimmons_ @samspiegs @OleMissFB @OleMissSports pic.twitter.com/SVnA4J7SLl
— Jarrell Chandler (@JarrellChandle2) January 29, 2026
Schools vying for Chandler’s signature next winter will know what it’ll take to sign the 6-foot-3, 195-pounder.
“The most important thing for me is reassurance,” he said. “Knowing that I’m their guy, that I can play there and develop there. Visits will be big for me too—game days are big, defensive schemes, the fit. I’ll learn a lot about the schools on those visits.
“With most of the schools, it’s about how I can fit in. Relationships were big too. The coaches wanting me—even if I haven’t visited yet—still staying in touch and wanting me to visit, that meant a lot.”
As the No. 22 safety in the nation, Chandler recorded 109 tackles, 23 pass deflections, 13 tackles for a loss, three forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries and one interception last season. He also played on offense, catching 50 passes for 766 yards and seven touchdowns.
Even with the dead period slowing the pace of visits, Chandler’s recruitment is a reminder that the board never truly stops moving. Prospects keep evaluating, relationships keep evolving, and new contenders can surface at any moment.
For Ole Miss, simply getting in the door with a top‑25 safety this late says plenty about the staff’s early traction — and once the quiet lifts on March 1, the real jockeying for Chandler and others will begin.
