Once Antwan Jackson made his decision on Friday, the natural question became pretty simple: who’s next?
The answer is Elijah Cox, and Sunday is shaping up to be one of the more important days left on Ole Miss’ summer recruiting calendar.
Cox isn’t just another name on the board. He’s the kind of edge rusher who fits exactly what Ole Miss has been stacking for months. Long, athletic, productive, and comfortable in space.
He finished his junior season with 35 tackles, eight tackles for loss, four sacks and an interception he took back for a touchdown. That’s the profile of a player who can line up in multiple spots and still make an impact.
And if he picks Ole Miss, he’d slide right into what’s becoming one of the deepest defensive line collections in the 2027 cycle.
Mitchell Turner is already in the boat. Ben’Jarvius Shumaker brings length and upside. Keysan Taylor adds twitch and versatility. Jackson just joined the class. Jamarkus Pittman and Marvin Nguetsop give the group real power. Juelz Batiste adds more depth.
It’s a lineup that looks less like a typical recruiting class and more like a full defensive front being built piece by piece.
Cox would be another piece that fits the pattern.
Ole Miss is in a good spot heading into Sunday, but this isn’t a quiet recruitment. Clemson, Mississippi State, Georgia Tech, Purdue and Florida State have all made real pushes.
Cox has visited several of them officially, and he hasn’t tipped his hand much. That alone keeps the door cracked for late movement.
Inside the Manning Center, though, the confidence is real. His official visit to Oxford checked every box.
According to OM Spirit’s Zach Berry, Cox jumped to the top of the board after meeting with Randall Joyner and Pete Golding. He impressed in the one‑on‑one session and blended right in during the defensive line group meeting.
When a staff is trying to project how a player fits into a room that already has momentum, that kind of visit matters.
And that’s the bigger story here. Ole Miss isn’t just recruiting defensive linemen. It’s building a defensive line identity. A room with length, athleticism, depth and real competition. A group that can rotate, stay fresh and create problems for offenses.
Cox fits that identity.
There’s still time for twists before Sunday. There’s still room for a surprise.
But Ole Miss has positioned itself well, and if the Rebels land Cox, they’ll add yet another piece to a defensive line class that already looks like one of the best in the country.
Sunday will tell the story. But the momentum is hard to miss.
