Former Rebel WR Eyes Redemption as a Bulldog

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Steven Corder | Last updated Jun 10, 2025 8:13 AM ET

In the unpredictable world of college football recruiting, second chances can be rare. But for former Ole Miss wide receiver Noreel White, fate has handed him an opportunity, and it may lead him straight into the arms of Mississippi State.

Two years ago, White’s name was buzzing throughout the Magnolia State. A four-star athlete out of St. Martin High School on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, he was the kind of playmaker every SEC coach wanted. The choice came down to Ole Miss or Mississippi State. In a decision that stirred the state’s fiercest rivalry, White picked the Rebels.

Now, with just four college snaps and two receptions to his name from his time in Oxford, White is rewriting his story.

And it’s one Bulldog fans should be paying close attention to.

After entering the NCAA transfer portal at the end of the 2024 season, White enrolled at East Mississippi Community College. His goal? Rebuild his game, his grades, and his identity.

“I feel like I have grown a lot by going to JuCo,” White said after a recent Mississippi State camp. “Things have been a little slow, but it’s starting to pick up now.”

Following a standout workout in Starkville, where White caught nearly everything thrown his way, he walked away with a scholarship offer from the Bulldogs. Head coach Jeff Lebby observed White closely, giving him extra reps and a second chance at an SEC future.

“This gives me a lot more hunger,” White said. “People have been doubting me. I just have to show people that I’m still the same dude. Ain’t nothing changed other than me getting better on and off the field.”

It’s not often you see a former Rebel potentially donning maroon and white, especially one who once took jabs at the Bulldogs on social media. But White insists the trash talk was just part of the rivalry show.

“It feels good to be here,” he said during his visit to campus. “They treat me like I’ve never did anything wrong.”

White worked out exclusively with wide receivers at State’s camp and believes that’s where his future lies.

“I feel like my future is at receiver,” White said. “That’s where my money is going to be made.”

With one JuCo season left at EMCC, White isn’t rushing a decision, but Mississippi State is clearly at the top of his radar. And if Bulldog fans are willing to forgive, they might just get a hungry, humbled athlete who’s grown from his past.

Noreel White once wore the red and blue, but in Starkville, he says it already feels like home. The only thing left? Making it official.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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