2026 athlete Zion Legree commits to Ole Miss Rebels

Pensacola (Fla.) Pine Forest three-star athlete Zion Legree has committed to Ole Miss, he announced on Monday.

He chose the Rebels over Georgia, Miami, Missouri, Illinois, Mississippi State and others.

Legree is the No. 391 overall prospect and No. 35 ATH in the 2026 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He’s also the No. 70 junior in the Sunshine State.

The 6-foot-1, 190-pounder was in Oxford over the weekend to watch the Rebels pick up a program-defining win over Georgia. Amidst a slew of elite prospects that were also on campus, Legree enjoyed his time around Ole Miss and has now opted to join Lane Kiffin’s 2026 pledge list.

“It was very good and a good experience. Love the atmosphere and the love the coaches have for me on and off the field,” Legree told OM Spirit after the visit.

Legree is the first member of Ole Miss’ 2026 recruiting class.

Ole Miss heating up on the recruiting trail

The Rebels’ win over Georgia came at a fantastic time for Kiffin and his staff with the 2025 Early Signing Period less than a month away. Ole Miss is surging for multiple top prospects coming out of the weekend, according to On3’s Steve Wiltfong.

“As the 10th-ranked Rebels push towards the College Football Playoff, they’re positioned nicely for a strong close regarding the 2025 class that currently ranks No. 19 nationally,” Wiltfong wrote on Monday.

Ole Miss now has the momentum for Ackerman (Miss.) Choctaw County five-star wide receiver Caleb Cunningham, according to the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine. The Alabama commit was also on campus over the weekend, as was Auburn commit and Lucedale (Miss.) George County five-star quarterback Deuce Knight.

The Rebels’ 2025 class currently features commitments from eight clue-chip prospects, including Chattanooga (Tenn.) Baylor School four-star running back Shekai Mills-Knight, the nation’s No. 132 recruit and No. 7 RB. The top in-state commit in the class is Hattiesburg (Miss.) Oak Grove four-star defensive lineman Andrew Maddox, the No. 20 DL in the cycle.

Not only does Legree kickstart the junior class for the Rebels, but he’s also another recruiting win in the state of Florida for the Ole Miss staff. In the 2025 class, four Sunshine State natives are in the mix: Pensacola Escambia four-star safety Ladarian Clardy, Auburndale Lakeland four-star safety Keon Young, Coconut Creek Monarch three-star wide receiver Samari Reed and Milton Pace three-star EDGE Tylon Lee. The class also includes IMG Academy three-star safety Major Preston, a Virginia native currently playing in Florida.