Ole Miss 4-star DL commit Kamarion Franklin shows off two-way ability

Ole Miss and Lane Kiffin were greeted with their biggest win on the recruiting trail in the 2024 cycle on Aug. 19, when Lake Cormorant (Miss.) four-star defensive lineman Kamarion Franklin committed to the Rebels.

The 6-foot-5, 260-pounder is the No. 39 overall prospect, No. 6 DL and No. 1 player in Mississippi in the nation, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. Franklin is more than a defensive lineman, however. He showcased that on Friday night.

In a 30-12 win over Southhaven (Miss.) to improve to 5-0, Franklin found pay dirt twice as a receiver. Both scores were catch-and-runs that totaled over 40 yards each. He also continued to be a menace on defense, making life miserable for the opposing team on both sides of the football.

“Think I should start getting recruited to play both sides of the ball,” Franklin joked after the game on social media.

Franklin’s recruitment was a major priority for Kiffin and Co. in Oxford. In a hard-fought race that came down to the closing moments, the Rebels beat out Auburn and Miami for a major in-state victory. Franklin headlines Ole Miss’s 2024 class, which ranks No. 22 in the nation, according to the On3 Industry Team Recruiting Ranking.

“Kam checks all of the boxes,” Lake Cormorant head coach Nick Nester told On3. “He is a great person that is a great player. The best thing about him is, he wants to get better. He has always played basketball, which has helped him in football, but once he goes all football on the next level, he will explode onto the scene. Ole Miss is getting a special player.”

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Kamarion Franklin Scouting Summary, On3 NIL Valuation

“Edge defender that projects to DT who wreaks havoc on opposing offenses with his get off and brute strength. Ran an electronically-timed 5.28 40 and jumped a 25” vertical in the spring prior to his junior season. A two-sport athlete who also plays basketball. Disruptive off the edge and lives in the backfield. Totaled 11 sacks as a junior. Instinctive and heady player for a sophomore. Has some hip stiffness but makes up for it with foot speed and play recognition.”

Franklin has an On3 NIL Valuation of $184K. The On3 NIL Valuation is the industry’s leading index that sets high school and college athletes’ projected annual value (PAV). The NIL valuation does not act as a tracker of the value of NIL deals an athlete has completed to date. It rather signifies an athlete’s value at a certain moment in time.