Ole Miss Rebels coach Pete Golding on the sidelines during College Football Playoff game against the Tulane Green Wave
Ole Miss Rebels coach Pete Golding on the sidelines during College Football Playoff game against the Tulane Green Wave at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Miss. | Taylor Graham-HottyToddy Images

Ole Miss Lands Spring Visit with One of Nation’s Top 2027 Linebackers

BY Taylor Hodges

Kenneth Simon II has been one of those names you hear early in the 2027 cycle and never stop hearing.

The Brentwood Academy linebacker is already carrying the kind of profile that gets every major program’s attention. That comes with being a prospect, but it also comes with the pedigree.

His father, Kevin Simon, was once the No. 2 overall recruit in the country and a U.S. Army All-American before playing at Tennessee. The younger Simon is tracking on a similar path.

The rankings back it up. He sits inside the top 150 nationally, one of the top linebackers in the country, and one of the best players in Tennessee. Every school recruiting at a high level knows who he is.

Now we know where he’s headed this spring.

Simon has set five unofficial visits, according to 247Sports’ Tom Loy, that will shape the next phase of his recruitment. He’ll start at Georgia on March 21, then head to Tennessee on March 28. Alabama gets him on March 30. Ole Miss will host him on April 3. Notre Dame rounds things out on April 18.

That’s a strong group, and it’s also the group he’ll choose from as he moves toward a summer decision. Notre Dame wasn’t in his original top four, but the Irish have pushed their way into the mix and earned a visit.

For Ole Miss, getting Simon on campus is a meaningful step. He’s the type of linebacker who changes the ceiling of a class, and the Rebels are positioning themselves to stay in the fight as long as possible.

Visits don’t guarantee anything, but they do tell you who’s serious. Simon just told everyone exactly who that is.

Here’s a scouting a report on Simon from 247Sports Director of Scouting Andrew Ivins:

“Modern 3-4 linebacker projection with the athleticism, physicality, and awareness to play all three downs. Began prep career as a safety, but got more and more snaps in the box as a junior for a Brentwood Academy squad that captured a Tennessee Division II-AA championship. Displays impressive downhill thrust as he shoots forward and closes gaps. Swiftly changes directions from a second-level perch and takes sharp angles to the football. Tends to come to balance as a tackler and will try to explode through contact. Can be dangerous on the blitz with his get-off and will dip around tackles. Might not be the biggest, but is the son of a former NFL defender, which suggests that he’s likely only going to get bigger. Projects at this stage as a versatile piece for a Power Four defense that can help limit the run and pass.”

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