Ole Miss got an important visitor on Tuesday when Louisville four star defensive lineman Mitchell Turner made the short trip to Oxford for an unofficial visit.
It came at an interesting moment in his recruitment too. Just days earlier, a Rivals recruiting analyst logged a prediction for Turner to land at Alabama, adding a new twist to an already competitive race.
𝗣𝗥𝗘𝗗𝗜𝗖𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡: 2027 4 ⭐️ DL Mitchell Turner has been predicted to Alabama by @SWiltfong_
The No. 3 DL in the nation was in Tuscaloosa for a visit last week
Turner will take an Official Visit to Alabama on May 29-31 pic.twitter.com/dtmhuZI9zu
— Recruits Bama (@RecruitsBama) March 16, 2026
Turner has been one of the fastest risers in the 2027 class. He’s now the No. 3 defensive lineman in the country after a breakout junior season that pushed him into national territory. At 6-foot-3 and 275 pounds, he has the size, movement and upside that every SEC staff is trying to find early.
His offer list reflects that. LSU, Texas, Arkansas, Alabama, Florida, Texas A&M and Missouri are all involved, and that is only part of the group. Coaches and evaluators love his ceiling, and they have been tracking his development closely.
Turner recently trimmed his list to eight finalists. Ole Miss made the cut, along with LSU, Texas, Mississippi State, Ohio State, Alabama, Florida and Florida State.
Had a great time in Oxford today!!🦈 🦈 @LetsGo_Bo5 @CoachGolding @OleMissFB pic.twitter.com/k7ypk1IBXB
— Mitchell Turner (@mitchellupnxt) March 17, 2026
That set the stage for this week’s visit to Oxford, where Pete Golding and the Rebels continued their push to keep one of the state’s top prospects close to home.
But the reality is that Alabama has momentum right now. Turner was in Tuscaloosa over the weekend, and the Tide have clearly made an impression. The prediction in their favor only reinforces that they are a major factor as this process heats up.
For Ole Miss, Tuesday was about staying in the fight. Getting Turner on campus again matters, especially with the in-state angle and the relationships already built.
The Rebels are not out of this, but they are battling a program that has surged at the right time.
Now it becomes a waiting game.
Turner has seen both campuses in the span of a few days, and the next steps in his recruitment will tell everyone where this is heading.
For now, Ole Miss did what it needed to do. Alabama made its move.
And the rest of us wait to see which visit ends up carrying the most weight.
