Ole Miss fans are waiting on pins and needles as two highly sought after four-stars have pushed back their decision dates.
Saraland (Ala.) four-star wide receiver Dillon Alfred was set to make his commitment announcement on Monday following a busy weekend that featured trips to Clemson and to Oxford where he participated in Juice Fest festivities. However, Alfed, who was committed to Ole Miss earlier this summer, revealed his announcement will come on Friday, Aug. 2.
As head-scratching as Alfred’s recruitment currently appears, four-star safety Ladarian Clardy is also postponing his commitment date. Clardy is the No. 17 safety in the 2025 cycle and the No. 29 prospect in the state of Florida. Clardy’s social media has led many to believe that Ole Miss is head and shoulders above the competition in the quest for Clardy’s talents.
In a surprise to many, Clardy revealed on Tuesday that he will not be announcing his decision on Aug. 3 as initially planned. Florida State, Mississippi State, Washington, and UCF all remain in the mix for the talented defensive back. It’s important to note that Clardy has a visit to Ole Miss planned for Wednesday, which is a positive sign for the Rebels.
Ole Miss has hit a bit of a lull in the recruiting cycle. The Rebels kicked off Juice Fest by landing three-star linebacker Corey Amos, but have yet to capitalize on the weekend’s momentum. While Alfred and Clardy are both believed to be leaning toward Ole Miss, the decision to push back their commitment dates are confusing and potentially troubling.
Lane Kiffin and the Rebels would do well to land both four-stars, especially considering the state of Ole Miss’ 2025 class. According to On3’s Team Recruiting Rankings, Ole Miss checks in at 27th in the country and 12th in the SEC. The current rankings are underwhelming, but the Rebels could easily find themselves back in the top 25 by the end of the week.
