Ole Miss Gains Commitment From 4-Star Safety Cortez Thomas

The Ole Miss Rebels picked up a valuable piece in their 2025 recruiting class on Wednesday.

Nov 23, 2023; Starkville, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin (left) and Mississippi Rebels defensive coordinator Pete Golding (right) watch during the second half against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports / Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports

The Ole Miss Rebels regained some momentum on the recruiting trail on Wednesday, securing a pledge from in-state, four-star safety Cortez Thomas.

On3 was the first to announce the news of his commitment. Thomas hails from Holmes County Central High School in Lexington, Mississippi, and he chose the Rebels over offers from rival Mississippi State, Kentucky, Louisville, Georgia Tech and others.

According to his team's MaxPreps page, Thomas totaled 45 tackles in his junior campaign, 34 of which were solo. He also snagged a total of two interceptions in the 2023 season.

Thomas is the 10th pledge for Ole Miss in this 2025 class, and he is the fourth player from the state of Mississippi to commit to the Rebels in this cycle. Defensive coordinator Pete Golding signified Thomas' coming commitment on Wednesday with the posting of his telltale shark emoji to X (formerly Twitter) at 7:30 a.m. CT.

Thomas' commitment is a positive sign for the Rebels after they lost a total of four commitments in the 2025 class last week. Running back Akylin Dear, wide receivers Jerome Myles and Dillon Alfred, and edge rusher Corey Amos all announced their decommitment from the program in late June, leaving Lane Kiffin and his staff with some work to do in the coming months to put the finishing touches on this class.