Ole Miss surges past Alabama to land elite in-state DL Mitchell Turner
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For much of the spring, Alabama held the upper hand in Mitchell Turner‘s recruitment.
Ole Miss never wavered in how they recruited the No. 40 prospect in the Rivals300, and after his official visit to Oxford on the weekend of June 5, everything changed.
The elite defensive lineman from Louisville (Miss.) has committed to the Rebels, giving Pete Golding and his staff one of the biggest recruiting wins of the cycle. Turner chose to stay in his home state after Ole Miss built momentum throughout the spring and capitalized on a pivotal visit earlier this month.
“On the official visit is the point when they moved ahead of Alabama for sure,” Turner told Rivals. “Being on that visit, spending more time with the coaches and just being there changed things. It was a big visit for me, and that really put Ole Miss as the top.”
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The biggest reason for the shift was defensive line coach Randall Joyner.
“The way Coach Joyner breaks down things and coaches, the way he motivates people and gets them going make him one of the best.
“Coach Joyner’s track record of developing defensive linemen made Ole Miss always stand out. The way he develops players was a very big thing for me. The way he gets guys from my area — my state — to the NFL… how can you turn it down?”
Right around the time Golding took over was when the Rebels started to really invest time into Turner. He saw a few games in Oxford in the fall, but they have been pushing for much of this year, and Turner is excited about his future head coach.
“Coach Golding being the head coach was a very big thing also. The system won’t change. No matter what, he’s going to be calling the plays. He’s the head guy, and he’s a very down-to-earth guy. He just wants ballplayers who come in and get better every day.”
Choosing between Ole Miss and Alabama proved difficult after both programs invested heavily in his recruitment.
Ultimately, Oxford felt like home.
“It was very tough,” Turner said. “We had to talk with my mom and dad and figure out what was the best fit for my future.
“I’ve been there five or six times, and it’s a great environment. Staying in the state is big for me too. You see a lot of big-time guys leave Mississippi, but I want to leave my mark in my home state and create a legacy that can last for years.”
When asked to sum up why he chose the Rebels, Turner pointed to three key factors.
“The development, staying home and the people,” he said. “The people make the program wherever you go.”
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