Texas DB Daniel Demery pledges to Ole Miss

Daniel Demery knew that the timing was right.

The three-star state championship-winning defensive back from Dallas (Texas) Parish committed to Ole Miss on Friday. SMU was also in the mix for Demery, who had been trending heavily toward the Rebels for much of the spring.

Part of the reason why Ole Miss scored well with Demery is the longstanding connection to assistant Randall Joyner, who has opened up the pipeline to the Dallas Metroplex for the Rebels.

“They were persistent and consistent in their recruitment of me, and they made me know that I was wanted and welcomed,” Demery told On3 of his decision.

“I talked with my family a lot and prayed on it, and it was God’s timing, which is always on time,” he continued. “God confirmed it and my family agreed. Everything fell in line.”

Ole Miss defensive coordinator and safeties coach Chris Partridge also played a helping hand. Joyner has been courting Demery dating back to his time in Dallas, while Partridge has only cemented the Rebels as the favorites over the recent string of visits to Oxford since his arrival on Lane Kiffin’s staff.

“Coach Randall Joyner and Coach Chris Partridge and Coach Kiffin were big,” Demery explained. “My long history with Coach Joyner made me feel a sense of comfort with this decision. Coach Partridge added to this sense of comfort. He and Coach Joyner, Coach Kiffin were very open and welcoming and treated me like family.”

Demery the nation’s No. 48-ranked safety on the On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.