Ole Miss has spent most of the spring grinding through the 2027 recruiting boards, but the staff is already looking further down the line.
One of the clearest signs is their early pursuit of Carmel (Ind.) 2028 safety Drake Coellner, whose recruitment has gone from regional to national in a matter of weeks.
Coellner has become one of the fastest‑rising prospects in the Midwest, and the offers reflect it. Oregon, Michigan, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Michigan State, Purdue, Indiana, Wisconsin and the list only keeps expanding. Ole Miss joined that group last week, and the pitch resonated.
After a conversation with @wesnab4646 I am blessed to have received an offer from Ole Miss!!! Can’t wait to come down soon!!! #Sip 🦈🦈🦈@SWiltfong_ @AllenTrieu @adamgorney @KyleNeddenriep @TheUCReport @Andy_Villamarzo @RivalsHS @CoachMillz_ pic.twitter.com/aBiGxaI4lq
— Drake Coellner 2028 (@DrakeCoellner) March 5, 2026
“They have also sent a lot of good DBs to the league and their head coach is a defensive back coach as well,” Coellner told Rivals’ Steve Wiltfong.
That’s the kind of detail Ole Miss is banking on as it tries to get ahead of the 2028 cycle. And they’ll get their shot soon. Coellner has locked in a spring visit to Oxford for April 3, part of a packed travel schedule that shows just how quickly his recruitment has accelerated.
The full slate: Ohio State on March 12, Vanderbilt on March 19, Michigan on March 28, Ole Miss on April 3, Florida on April 4, Purdue on April 11, Indiana on April 18 and Wisconsin on April 21.
Sophomore Season Highlights https://t.co/u0XECRWl6n
– 72 total tackles
– 45 solo tackles
– 4 INT
– 3 TD (2 pick 6’s, 1 punt return)
– 8 PBU
– 1 FR
– All State Super Team
– 9 games starting at safety
– 2 games starting at corner
– ATHLETE pic.twitter.com/mvToRiJqKh
— Drake Coellner 2028 (@DrakeCoellner) January 7, 2026
Vanderbilt was one of the first programs to jump in, and that early attention still carries weight. Wisconsin offered Monday night, adding more Big Ten pressure. Oregon and Oklahoma remain two of the programs he’s most intrigued by, and he already made it to Norman last fall.
This kind of spring run doesn’t happen by accident.
Coellner put together a strong sophomore season. He had 72 total tackles, 42 solo stops, four interceptions, eight pass breakups and three touchdowns and schools have been tracking him closely ever since.
For Ole Miss, the April 3 visit is about more than just getting him on campus. It’s about planting a flag early in a recruitment that’s going to get crowded. Pete Golding has made it clear he wants to build the future of his defense with versatile, physical defensive backs, and Coellner fits that mold.
The Rebels aren’t just working the current cycle. They’re already laying the groundwork for the next one and getting Coellner to Oxford this spring is a sign they intend to stay in this race from the start.
