Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

Ole Miss Lands 4-Star Football Recruit Over Ohio State and LSU

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Levi Dombro | Last updated Jul 2, 2025 7:00 AM ET

Head coach Lane Kiffin has been hitting the recruiting trail hard this offseason for the Ole Miss Rebels. Eight players were drafted to the NFL from last year's team, and another 12 made themselves eligible and signed as undrafted free agents.

There will be a lot of turnover for the program this year, highlighted by the change at quarterback from First-Team All-SEC player Jaxson Dart to Austin Simmons, who has never started a game at the collegiate level.

The Rebels' entire starting defensive front is gone as well, outside of preseason All-American edge rusher Suntarine Perkins. But fortunately, reinforcements are on the way for the Ole Miss football program in the class of 2026.

On Monday, On3 Sports' Billy Embody reported that class of 2026 4-star edge rusher Landon Barnes had committed to coach Kiffin and the Rebels.

"I felt the love from the staff. They showed great love and a lot of energy toward me," Barnes said. "The people [at Ole Miss] really got to know me well, and it showed me a lot as a recruit. I was there for a spring practice, then for an official visit and the energy was always there. They showed me that they wanted me."

Barnes attends powerhouse Duncanville High School in Duncanville, Texas. The highly coveted recruit had 32 total college offers, which included programs like Ohio State, LSU, Texas, Georgia and Colorado.

The nearly 6-foot-4, 235-pound prospect could make an immediate impact for the Rebels next season, as Suntarine Perkins is expected to be a first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Ole Miss now has 11 commits in the 2026 class, highlighted by Barnes and other four-star recruits like running back Damarius Yates, tight end JC Anderson and linebacker Izayia Williams.

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

More must-reads: