There was a time not too long ago that when Ole Miss celebrating a spot in a national recruit’s top 12 would’ve felt like a small victory. A nice nod. A sign the Rebels were “in the mix.”
That era is gone.
Pete Golding and The Grove Collective have turned Ole Miss into something different, something bigger, something that behaves like a program fully expecting to sit at the table next to the likes of Alabama, Ohio State, Oregon, Michigan, etc.
And the latest reminder comes from Fort Worth three-star safety Elijajuan Houston.
Houston, a Top-100 safety in the 2027 class, announced his top 12 schools this week. It’s a who’s who of college football: Texas, Oklahoma, Oregon, Michigan, UCLA, Nebraska, Stanford, Kansas State, Arizona State, SMU, Texas Tech and Ole Miss.
Let’s Do it!!!! Where’s 🏠 ?@DemarcusHarri01 @blessed2_coach@CoachC_Osunde@CoachJ_O @adamgorney @MikeRoach247@SWiltfong_ @CoachJayWilson @CoachKelley57@RivalsHS @On3 @FlightSkillz pic.twitter.com/AjPrLdihyl
— Elijajuan “Fat” Houston (@Fats_D1) February 11, 2026
That’s the company the Rebels keep now. Not occasionally. Not by surprise. Consistently. This is what big-time programs do. They don’t wait to be invited into the conversation. They plant themselves in the middle of it.
Houston is the kind of player who draws that level of attention. At 6-foot-1 and 170 pounds, he’s coming off a monster junior season at North Crowley: 72 tackles, 14 pass breakups, four interceptions, four tackles for loss, three forced fumbles. He helped lead his team to a 12-2 record and a run to the 6A Division I state semifinals. That’s no small feat considering it’s the highest level of high school football in Texas.
🏆 DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR 🏆@startelegram @dfwvarsity honors Eli’Jujuan Houston.
Locked in. Feared. Respected.#DPS | #817StandUp | #GoonCity | #NikeElite pic.twitter.com/gsaWqRAv89
— North Crowley Football (@NorthCro_FB) January 12, 2026
Naturally, everyone wants him. And naturally, Ole Miss is right there.
That’s the part that keeps standing out. Golding and the Rebels aren’t just hanging around the edges of these recruitments. They’re in the thick of them, shoulder-to-shoulder with the biggest brands in the sport. They’re not intimidated by Texas or Michigan or Oregon. They’re recruiting like a program that expects to win these battles.
And honestly, why shouldn’t they?
Ole Miss has spent the last few years building the infrastructure, the staff, the NIL backing, and the on-field results to operate like a national contender. The Rebels aren’t sneaking up on anyone anymore. They’re recruiting nationally, winning nationally, and chasing players who can elevate the program even further.
Houston’s recruitment is just the latest example. Another sign that Ole Miss isn’t pretending to be a powerhouse. It’s acting like one.
Now comes the fun part: seeing whether the Rebels can separate themselves from a loaded field and land a defender who fits exactly what Golding wants.
Houston’s offseason will be busy, and every school on his list will make a push. But Ole Miss is right where a big-time program should be: in the fight, confident, and unafraid of the competition.
This is what the new Ole Miss looks like. And recruits like Houston are noticing.
