Spirit's Take: Here's what Ole Miss is adding in On3 Consensus four-star Neeo Avery
Juice Fest 22 has been a big weekend for Lane Kiffin and Ole Miss. Over 10 On3 Consensus four-stars were in town to check out the town, the campus, the new facilities which are in the process of being completed and some stuck around to watch the final elite camp of the summer before the Rebels start fall camp on Monday.
But, before the weekend wrapped up, Kiffin and Ole Miss made a big splash when they added their sixth blue chip prospect to its 2023 class with the addition of Good Counsel (Md.) athlete Neeo Avery.
The 6-foot-4.5, 225 pound recruit from Maryland chose defensive line coach Randall Joyner and the Rebels over finalists Kentucky, Maryland and Oregon. He also holds notable offers from Arkansas, Auburn, Boston College, Cincinnati, Florida, Georgia, LSU, Michigan, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Penn State and South Carolina, among others.
Avery is the No. 253 ranked prospect in the class of 2023 according to the On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He ranks as the nation’s No. 10 athlete and the No. 6 player in Maryland.
A former Penn State commit, Avery took official visits to Maryland and Kentucky in June. The Wildcats also got the blue-chipper on campus for an unofficial visit back in November. However, Ole Miss was able to get him to Oxford three times in the last three months, sealing the deal over the weekend behind the relentless effort from Joyner and co-defensive coordinator Chris Partridge.
Avery is now the sixth prospect from the northeast that has signed or committed to the Rebels since Kiffin took over. Partridge and his ties to that area continue to pay dividends.
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But make no mistake about it, this was Joyner and his consistent and genuine approach to recruiting the talented prospect. Sources rave about the Ole Miss defensive line coach’s ability to connect with players and Avery is a prime example of that. He had overtures from several big-time, blue blood programs, but Ole Miss and Joyner stuck out to him because of the relationship he built with him.
Ole Miss’ 2023 class is now ranked 43rd in the country with a blue chip rating of 83 percent.
SPIRIT’S TAKE
Avery is a versatile athlete who will be a factor in the front seven year one. The former basketball player does it all for Good Counsel, playing quarterback on offense and linebacker on defense.
The Glen Burnie, Md. prospect is a force on both sides, showcasing his elite frame to evade pass rushers and churn up yards on the ground while also being a dominant pass rusher himself when he’s on the other side of the football, chasing down signal callers. He possesses a wingspan close to 80 inches and has been timed as fast as 4.6 in the 40-yard dash. He is incredibly quick-twitched off the ball as an edge rusher and should be someone Joyner can mold into an SEC starter quickly with some fine-tuning and technique adjustment.
Like several others in this 2023 Ole Miss class, he has the skill set and talent to challenge for snaps as soon as he gets on campus. I expect him to be a factor up front for the Ole Miss defense sooner rather than later.
Impact Potential: 8.8/10
