TE Hayden Bradley commits to Ole Miss: ‘That place is special’

Buford (Ga.) three-star tight end Hayden Bradley announced Florida, Michigan, Ole Miss, Penn State and South Carolina as his top five schools on April 24. More than a month earlier, the Rebels made a massive impression on him during a March 23 trip to Oxford. 

After leaving Ole Miss, Bradley knew that visit was “going to be hard to beat.” The SEC program eventually won out for the 6-foot-5, 215-pound recruit, as he privately committed to head coach Lane Kiffin and his staff last week before publicly revealing his decision on Saturday. 

“That place is special,” Bradley told On3. “In my eyes, nothing compared to that visit that I had. It was just a different feeling.” 

Ole Miss ‘felt like home’ to Bradley

Bradley was able to break the good news to not only Kiffin, but also tight ends coach Joe Cox. The No. 79 player in Georgia is looking forward to playing for both coaches in the coming years.

“As I was driving in towards the campus, it felt like home,” said Bradley, the No. 742 overall prospect and No. 43 tight end in the 2025 On3 Industry Ranking. “It reminded me of Georgia, where I am now. As soon as I stepped foot on campus, they took me in with open arms like family. They showed me and my family a tremendous amount of love. 

“Coach Kiffin is really big into high school recruiting. He texts me every day and calls me once a week. He showed me a lot of love. I also like how Ole Miss has used Caden Prieskorn these past few years. He’s going to be one of the top tight ends drafted next year. They definitely know how to prioritize the tight end in the Ole Miss offense.” 

Bradley is excited about the future at Ole Miss

While visiting the Rebels, Bradley liked how the people around Oxford showed “genuine love” for Ole Miss. The academic opportunities at Ole Miss also impressed him. 

When Bradley arrives in Mississippi, he will learn under Cox, who joined the Rebels after coaching tight ends for two seasons at Alabama. The three-star believes that Cox is “the best tight ends coach in college football.” 

“He turned down a lot of good options and chose Ole Miss, which shows me a lot,” Bradley said. “If he sees something in Ole Miss, then a lot of people should. I like the way he coaches and the way he bonds with his players, all other players out there on the field and the coaches. There are nothing but good things about coach Cox.” 

Bradley believes big things are coming from the Rebels after their successful 2023 season. That campaign included 11 wins and a Peach Bowl victory over Penn State. 

“Ole Miss is only going up from here,” Bradley said. “Coach Kiffin has taken that program a long way. Each year, they continuously get better and better. I can see that in the next four or five years, Ole Miss can be competing for a national championship. My goal is to help them get there and I 100% believe that we can.”