Elite 4-star RB Akylin Dear visiting Ole Miss Rebels

Ole Miss has continued to make Quitman (Miss.) four-star running back Akylin Dear a top priority. As the Rebels battle other SEC contenders for his pledge, Lane Kiffin and his staff have another chance to make an in-person impression on Thursday.

Dear is back in Oxford this week. He also visited the in-state program in February. Florida, Georgia, Florida State and Auburn are among the other programs that have had him on campus this year so far, but Ole Miss won’t be keen on letting the 6-foot, 200-pounder leave the Magnolia State.

“My relationship is great with Kiffin. That was my first time seeing him in person,” Dear told OM Spirit after his previous visit. “Great guy. He acts young. Real cool, real cool guy. They want me to come and be a Quinshon Judkins type, play as a freshman. But better.”

Dear is the No. 34 overall prospect and No. 2 RB in the 2025 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He’s also the No. 2 player in Mississippi.

Plenty of SEC contenders charging for Dear

Auburn is one of the programs pushing the hardest for Dear, and that’s in-part thanks to new RBs coach Derrick Nix, who left Ole Miss to join forces once again with Tigers head coach Hugh Freeze. He was recently on The Plains and is high on the Tigers.

“I had that relationship with Coach Nix when he was at Ole Miss, so we have been talking almost daily since he got to Auburn,” Dear said. “Auburn is definitely a school I want to get back too. They have always been high on my list.”

Elite coaching staffs are all over the place in the SEC, and that means Dear is hearing recruiting pitches from the best of the best on a daily basis. That even includes the new staff at Alabama, headlined by HC Kalen DeBoer.

“He just helped lead Washington to a national championship game,” Dear said of DeBoer. “When I first met him, it was crazy. My heart was beating because I was wondering what he was going to think of me. He’s a great guy.”

As Dear maneuvers through his busy spring, Ole Miss will continue to keep the foot on the gas as it pushes for what would be a headlining piece for its 2025 class. The Rebels currently have just one commitment in the class — Opelousas (La.) three-star linebacker Corey Amos. He is the No. 385 overall recruit in the nation.

“It’s not going to be tough because I’m not afraid to go away from where I’m from,” Dear told On3 last month. “I’m really looking for the right coach who can teach me the game and also life outside of football.”