BREAKING: Ole Miss Fending Off Flips for Top Commit Keegan Croucher; No New Additions Reported
**OXFORD, Miss.** – Despite significant roster reconstruction through the transfer portal, the Ole Miss Rebels’ 2026 recruiting class has remained relatively stable. However, head coach Pete Golding and his staff are currently battling to retain their most high-profile pledge as rival SEC programs intensify their pursuit .
**The Recruitment of Keegan Croucher**
Baylor School (Tenn.) four-star quarterback **Keegan Croucher** has emerged as one of the fastest-rising prospects in the 2027 recruiting cycle. The 6-foot-3, 185-pound signal-caller, who committed to Ole Miss last fall, recently skyrocketed from No. 130 to No. 50 overall in Rivals’ rankings update, earning status as the No. 4 quarterback in America .
Despite his pledge to the Rebels, Croucher remains a hot commodity. According to Sports Illustrated, the **Georgia Bulldogs and Kentucky Wildcats** are “turning up the heat” in their pursuit of the coveted quarterback . Croucher chose Ole Miss over Oregon and other major programs, citing the Rebels’ offensive system and his connection to Oxford as deciding factors .
“We have a great group,” Croucher told Rivals. “Ole Miss jumped out to me right away. The offense they have and built was the first intriguing thing about them. My first visit down there went as expected and was amazing” .
**Portal Overhaul, Not High School Flips**
While the Rebels haven’t added a headline-grabbing high school flip recently, they’ve been extraordinarily active in the transfer portal. Ole Miss added **29 transfers**, ranking as the **No. 2 portal class in the nation** behind only LSU .
Key portal additions include:
– **Deuce Knight**: Former five-star Auburn quarterback who started one game in 2025
– **Darrell Gill** and **Johntay Cook**: Wide receivers from Syracuse
– **Joenel Aguero**: Starting safety from Georgia
– **Keaton Thomas**: Baylor transfer who started 12 games with 103 tackles in 2025
**Previous Flip Targets**
During December’s early signing period, Ole Miss was reportedly eyeing two high-profile flips: five-star wide receiver **Jase Mathews** (committed to Auburn) and four-star offensive lineman **Bryson Cooley** (committed to LSU) . However, there is no recent confirmation that either prospect flipped to Ole Miss.
**Current 2026 Class Outlook**
Ole Miss’ 2026 high school class ranks No. 26 nationally according to ESPN, featuring five commits from the SC Next Top 300 . The class is headlined by four-star running back **Damarius Yates** (Kemper County, Miss.) and four-star EDGE **Landon Barnes** (Duncanville, Texas) .
For Ole Miss fans hoping for a single “top player” flip, the reality is more complex. The Rebels’ most significant roster improvements have come through the transfer portal rather than high school recruiting, and their biggest battle now is keeping their rising-star quarterback committed amid intensifying SEC competition.
