Ole Miss Rebels just landed a freak of nature who could find himself playing very early in his collegiate career

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The Ole Miss Rebels landed a guy in Antwan Jackson who is a freak of nature and could play fairly early.

Ole Miss landed a significant piece for its 2027 recruiting class when four-star edge rusher Antwan Jackson committed to the Rebels. The 6’6, 253-pound pass rusher from Memphis, Tennessee, chose Ole Miss over Alabama, Missouri, Tennessee, Memphis, and Kentucky, giving the Rebels another premier defensive talent in a class that continues to climb nationally.

Jackson announced his commitment with a simple message: “Hotty toddy, I’m home, let’s work,” Jackson said.

The commitment makes geographic sense. Memphis sits close enough to the Ole Miss campus in Oxford, Mississippi, that this feels like a homecoming decision for Jackson. He’s a top-300 overall prospect, the No. 26 player at his position, and the No. 15 recruit in Tennessee, according to recruiting rankings.

Jackson’s visit history tells the story

What stands out in Jackson’s recruitment is the breakdown of visits. He took six visits to Missouri, five to Alabama, four to Ole Miss, two to Tennessee, one to Kentucky, and one to Memphis. Taking only one visit to Memphis, his hometown program, is notable. Taking six to Missouri, a program much farther away, makes that even more striking.

But the four visits to Ole Miss proved to be enough. The Rebels made their pitch, and it worked. Sometimes the quantity of visits matters less than the quality of the program selling its vision, and Ole Miss clearly connected with Jackson on those trips.

What Jackson brings to the Rebels defense

Jackson has the frame to play on the edge in the SEC right away. At 6-foot-6 and 253 pounds, the physical tools are obvious. Right now, he’s a player who relies heavily on his athleticism, and to be fair, it works at the high school level. The question is whether he can develop the technical refinement needed to win consistently against SEC offensive tackles.

With proper coaching and development, Jackson could become a technical pass rusher to complement that natural explosiveness. The raw ability is there. The polish will come with time.

Ole Miss continues to stack the 2027 class

Jackson joins an Ole Miss 2027 recruiting class ranked No. 14 nationally and No. 7 in the SEC. The Rebels now have 14 four-star prospects among their 20 commitments. That’s an impressive ratio for a program building toward sustained competitiveness in the conference.

Jackson is the headliner among the edge rushers in this class, but he’s not alone. Ole Miss also has four-star edge rushers Marvin Nguetsop and Juelz Batiste committed. On the interior defensive line, recruits like Ben’Jarvius, Shumaker, and Mitchell Turner project as future contributors. The defensive front is shaping up to be a strength of this class.

Landing Jackson was a priority for the Ole Miss coaching staff because of the combination of athleticism and physicality he brings. Getting a prospect of his caliber, especially one who also held offers from Alabama and Missouri, represents the kind of recruiting win that validates where the program stands right now. Ole Miss is recruiting well, and adding Jackson only strengthens that momentum as the 2027 cycle deepens.

This article was originally published on A to Z Sports. Read the full story here: Ole Miss Rebels just landed a freak of nature who could find himself playing very early in his collegiate career

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