Multiple Ole Miss Recruiting Targets, Commits Make Mississippi 'Dandy Dozen' List

The Ole Miss Rebels are hoping to attract some of the best talent the state of Mississippi has to offer this year.

The 2024 Clarion Ledger Dandy Dozen: from left, seated, Choctaw wide receiver Caleb Cunningham; Quitman runningback Akylin Dear; kneeling, Oak Grove defensive lineman Andrew Maddox; Velma Jackson defensive lineman Tyshun Willis; Lake Cormorant linebacker Jarcoby Hopson; Holmes County Central defensive back Cortez Thomas; Hattiesburg defensive lineman Kevin Oatis; standing, Natchez County quarterback KaMario Taylor; George County quarterback Deuce Knight; Laurel offensive lineman Tyler Miller; / Barbara Gauntt/Clarion Ledger / USA TODAY NETWORK

Early Signing Day is still a few months away, but the Ole Miss Rebels are hoping for a strong close to their 2025 recruiting class. If The Clarion Ledger's annual "Dandy Dozen" list is any indication, it appears that coach Lane Kiffin's program could make some impressive moves within the state of Mississippi.

This year's Dandy Dozen list, which highlights the top high school football players that Mississippi has to offer, features three players who are currently committed to the Rebels and a handful that Ole Miss is still trying to lure. On the commitment side of the ledger, Ole Miss sees representation from defensive lineman Andrew Maddox, linebacker Jarcoby Hopson and safety Cortez Thomas, all of whom help give the Rebels the No. 24 class in the country as of this writing, per On3.

Some others who are part of the Dandy Dozen and also on Ole Miss' recruiting board include quarterback Deuce Knight, running back Akylin Dear and wide receiver Caleb Cunningham.

Knight is currently a Notre Dame commit, but Ole Miss has been joined in a strong push for his talents in recent days by an SEC foe in the Auburn Tigers. Dear was once pledged to the Rebels, but he decommitted from the program in June and has since been pursued heavily by the Alabama Crimson Tide, the same school that currently holds the pledge from Cunningham.

Can Ole Miss close the gap on some of these non-committed prospects, or will they remain locked in at their respective schools and suit up for a different program next season? Either way, it's evident that the Magnolia State is once again home to some top-tier prep talent, and these 12 players are the cream of the crop.