Ole Miss football vs. Tulane in the First Round of the College Football Playoffs in Vaught Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, MS. | Ole Miss Athletics
Ole Miss football vs. Tulane in the First Round of the College Football Playoffs in Vaught Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, MS. | Ole Miss Athletics

Four-Star Louisiana Receiver Gives Ole Miss Real Hope Heading Into Officials

BY Taylor Hodges

Ole Miss has been in the mix for Miguel Whitley for months, but now there’s finally some public confirmation of what the Rebels have been feeling behind the scenes.

The four‑star wideout from New Orleans told Rivals’ Sam Spiegelman that Ole Miss and Arkansas have both made real moves this spring and have tightened things at the top of his recruitment.

“They closed the gap a lot, for real, for different reasons,” Whitley said. “You know I have great relationships with both schools. Ole Miss and Arkansas are both still big factors.”

That’s the headline for Ole Miss.

LSU is still the front‑runner, and Whitley didn’t hide that. He’s been on campus in Baton Rouge several times this spring and said the Tigers’ consistency and proximity still carry weight. But the Rebels have done enough to make this a real race heading into official visits.

Whitley’s trip to Oxford last month clearly hit the right notes. He called it an eye‑opener, and meeting former Ole Miss wide receiver DK Metcalf didn’t hurt.

“When I went there, I met with DK, so just seeing that really opened my eyes … seeing the biggest of the biggest come from that school,” he said. “It’s like a blueprint.”

Arkansas also made a strong impression during his visit to Fayetteville, especially with the chance for early playing time and his connection with position coach David Johnson.

“I love it out there. It’s nice, and it’s a higher chance of me playing early there, so I’ll always take that, too,” Whitley said. “And, of course, Coach YAC is great.”

For Ole Miss, this is exactly where it hoped to be in early May.

LSU still leads, but the gap isn’t what it used to be. The Rebels have momentum, they have a relationship that’s growing, and they have a blueprint that resonated with one of the best receivers in the country.

Now the challenge is simple: keep closing that gap when the official visits begin.

Ole Miss Football 2027 Signing Class

  • QB Keegan Croucher, Baylor School (Tenn.)
  • OL Wade Ford, Oxford (Miss.)
  • CB Taelyn Mayo, Lewisville (Texas)
  • OL Coderro McDaniel, Brookhaven (Miss.)
  • S Mason Moore, Baton Rouge (La.) Central
  • DL Jamarkus Pittman, Memphis Academy (Tenn.)
  • DL Ben’Jarvius Shumaker, Choctaw County (Miss.)
  • EDGE Keysan Taylor, Rockford Guilford (Ill.) 
  • OT Roman Womack, NE Mississippi CC

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