The Grove Report

Freeze, Auburn Courting Multiple Ole Miss Football Commitments

New Auburn head coach has already hired away an Ole Miss assistant as recruiting battles intensify

The Grove Report Staff

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There were plenty of storylines connecting Ole Miss to Auburn's search for a new head coach, especially between current Rebel leader Lane Kiffin and AU's eventual hire of former Rebel head coach Hugh Freeze.

With the latter in the fold, in addition to having plucked away offensive line coach Jake Thornton over the weekend, there will be recruiting overlap between the programs down the stretch of the 2023 cycle.

At least two current Ole Miss commitments already have the attention of Freeze's staff, quarterback Marcel Reed and offensive lineman Brycen Sanders.

Reed, who ended his prep career in the state championship loss to Sanders' squad in Tennessee last Thursday, is expecting to meet with Freeze Wednesday. Also, according to 247Sports, Jimbo Fisher and Texas A&M are also likely to visit with the two-sport star before week's end. Aggie assistant Dameyune Craig saw Reed on Saturday.

The Grove Report sources don't expect the longtime quarterback commitment, who was visited by Ole Miss co offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Charlie Weis Jr. on Friday, to give either SEC West program much consideration unless a recruiting visit to either campus is to take place. 

Sanders has a more direct connection to AU via Thornton, his theoretical position coach should he flip to Auburn. The two have built a strong rapport since before Sanders committed to Ole Miss back in June. Thornton even visited Sanders on one of his final days as a Rebel assistant coach, alongside Kiffin for what it's worth. 

"They’re definitely taking to me a lot and pushing for me hard," Sanders admitted on Tuesday. 

As is the case with Reed, the internal alarm for Ole Miss fans shouldn't ring too loud unless the offensive tackle recruit shows up on Auburn's campus sometime before the Early Signing Period opens on December 21. 

Ole Miss stands at 12 verbal commitments in the class of 2023, with Reed and Sanders occupying the only quarterback and offensive line spots in the class, respectively. Losing either would be a crushing blow to Kiffin's latest recruiting haul. 

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The Grove Report Staff
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