Four-Star Safety Cortez Thomas Signs With Ole Miss on Early National Signing Day

Four-star safety Cortez Thomas has made his Ole Miss decision official.

Holmes County Central defensive back Cortez Thomas, photographed in Ridgeland, Miss., Aug. 10, 2024, is a member of the 2024 Clarion Ledger Dandy Dozen. / Barbara Gauntt/Clarion Ledger / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Ole Miss Rebels defense gained an in-state secondary talent on Wednesday, signing four-star safety Cortez Thomas on Early National Signing Day.

According to On3, Thomas is ranked 353rd nationally and 12th in Mississippi as well as being the 34th-ranked safety in the class of 2025. 

Thomas attends Holmes County Central High School in Lexington, Mississippi, just two hours south of Ole Miss.

Cortez verbally committed to Ole Miss back on July 3 earlier this year and officially signed to the Rebs over in-state rival Mississippi State, along with Kentucky, Louisville and Georgia Tech.

Over the course of his career, Thomas has shown his diverse skillset at the safety position as a hybrid-skill type. He has shown a very strong ability to play man coverage on outside receivers as well as holding his own in the run game with good play recognition along with overpowering tackles paired with the ability to make open field tackles deep down the field.

In his senior season, he recorded 56 total tackles with 35 of them coming on his own.

In coverage, Cortez has 13 pass deflections along with three interceptions with 100 yards on those returns.

Thomas has the opportunity to make an instant impact on this defense, showing the ability to play in coverage and defend the run, making him a valuable asset to Lane Kiffin and Pete Golding.