Another year, another hyped-up, media-frenzied signing day all across the country for college football programs looking to build title contenders.
There may never be another recruiting class like the 2013 class. The 2014 class had a tough act to follow, but successfully shined with one of the deepest classes in the history of the program.
The 2015 class may not have the flashy names or the standout prospects, but there is plenty of talent to go around as head coach Hugh Freeze hauled in another top 20 recruiting class.
The 2015 class for Ole Miss ranks 17th according to 24/7 Sports, and 19th according to ESPN.
Freeze started off his signing day press conference Wednesday describing how motivated he was with the message from chancellor Dan Jones announcing that he is cancer-free. Freeze called Jones, “an encouragement to the program.”
“We are extremely excited about our class that I think from top to bottom actually may be our best since we’ve been here,” Freeze said about his 2015 signing class. “I do believe we have identified the young men in terms that fit with Ole Miss and that is huge for us because we want to develop young men that fit with us with the guys that we have here to be great.”
Freeze admitted that it was a challenging class to put together because of the restrictions of numbers that the program was under with the limited amount of spots.
The 2015 class totaled 23 new players on signing day, including early enrollees. The Rebels had 14 four-star recruits and nine three-star recruits. There were some star-studded prospects that Ole Miss missed out on, including five-star defensive end CeCe Jefferson, who signed with Florida, and five-star offensive lineman Drew Richmond, who signed with Tennessee. Even though the Rebels missed out on top-flight prospects, the class is a success.
“You always lose some when you’re battling for some of the nation’s best. Every school does. We had a few of those,” Freeze said. “We also won many, many battles with kids that really wanted to be at Ole Miss and representing this great university. I’m excited to get to work with them.”
Finding players in the junior college ranks is a very important aspect for Freeze and his coaching staff. He acknowledged how important it was to haul in an exceptional mid-year class.
“The mid-year class, I think, is a home run,” Freeze said. “Tony Bridges is one of the best looking corners that I signed. I think our DB (defensive back) class—I would put it up with any other DB class that has been signed. Terry Crawford is an athletic linebacker that gets us longer and faster. Javon Patterson, man, I don’t know if I have been any more crazy about a young man and his family as I have that guy.”
One name in the recruiting class that has stirred up some negative attention was quarterback Chad Kelly. Kelly was arrested in his hometown Buffalo, New York on Dec. 22 for a scuffle early in the morning with a bouncer at a local bar.
For the first time since Kelly’s arrest, Freeze addressed his status with the team and his future.
“He’s made some poor decisions that have cost him some opportunities and almost cost him this one,” Freeze said. “He understands exactly what we have to do moving forward, and he’s got some strong reins on him hopefully.”
The secondary is the bright spot of the 2015 recruiting class with players such as Tony Bridges, the versatile Jalen Julius, Cameron Ordway, Montrell Custis and Armani Linton.
Freeze described the secondary in his recruiting class as long, athletic and can provide the physical presence that he looks for in his secondary.
The wide receiver position also was a success for the Rebels, headlined by four-stars DaMarkus Lodge from Texas and Van Jefferson from Tennessee. Freeze had high praise for Lodge, who Freeze called one of the best receiver recruits he has seen since coming to Ole Miss. Freeze was pleased with the receivers he has brought in and is happy with the depth at the position.
“I think our receiving core when you look at it is arguably one of the better in the country,” Freeze said. “We have to manage not only next year, but the future also and how we manage everyone there. I’m excited to see how it all works out.”
Hugh Freeze said when he was hired that it would take three full recruiting classes that he would feel like he had a full SEC roster. This is now Freeze’s third full class, and the 2015 class has the program right on track to moving into the tops of the conference.
As for the 2016 recruiting class, Freeze has already turned his attention to it.
“We got to have some help on the offensive line, defensive line, linebacker. Our secondary is in good shape. We did really well with our receivers,” Freeze said. “We need to continue to build. Those are some of the needs we need to address next year.”
