Trae Collins has been a familiar name in Oxford for a while, but his recruitment took another turn on Thursday when the Ridgeland four-star safety announced his top four schools.
Ole Miss made the list, which is notable considering how things unfolded after Lane Kiffin left for LSU.
Collins was once committed to the Rebels, then backed off that pledge, and the relationship had to be rebuilt from the ground up.
“I was committed to Ole Miss but I decommitted. It wasn’t just because of Lane Kiffin and it was more about my recruiting coach leaving with Lane,” Collins said to Maroon and White Daily’s Paul Jones. “But when I decommitted they started talking to me a lot more. So we will see how it goes and they are still a top option.”
Pete Golding and his staff didn’t waste time. They kept recruiting him, kept showing up and kept making sure he knew he was still a priority. That effort paid off this week when Collins announced his top four schools that included Ole Miss, along with Miami, Mississippi State and Georgia Tech.
🏠??? @CoachD_Gary @CoachTMc @CoachBingham7 @TimSteward__ @ChadSimmons_ @Rivals @On3 @MacCorleone74 pic.twitter.com/rWsethqsDW
— supaman (@TraeCollins27) April 2, 2026
That’s the clearest sign yet that Ole Miss has worked its way back into the picture.
The challenge now is holding that ground. Miami is a national brand with a long track record of landing defensive backs. Mississippi State is the in-state threat and has been aggressive with 2027 prospects. Georgia Tech is also in the mix. It’s a four-team race, and none of them are backing off.
Collins has the kind of profile that draws this level of attention. He’s 6-foot-2 and 175 pounds with offers from Ole Miss, Arkansas, Miami, Mississippi State and Tulane, among others.
He’s coming off a strong junior season with 65 tackles, 10 pass breakups, three tackles for loss and two interceptions. He also added 233 receiving yards and three touchdowns on offense. He’s one of the most complete defensive backs in the state and one of the top prospects in the 2027 class.
Ole Miss has the hometown ties and the rebuilt relationships.
Miami brings national pull. Mississippi State brings the in-state angle and a staff that has made Collins a priority. Georgia Tech is trying to stay in the fight.
For the Rebels, this is a recruitment that will stretch deep into the offseason.
They were once in front, lost that position, and have now worked their way back into real contention.
Making the top four is a meaningful step, but the real work is still ahead.
