Ole Miss lands total package running back in Shekai Mills-Knight
Baylor School (Tenn.) running back Shekai Mills-Knight is quite familiar with Ole Miss. From learning about it from former teammates, his family in Chattanooga, Tenn., and visiting campus several times. Now, after officially visiting with his parents and further checking out the program at Juice Fest 24, he has decided to familiarize himself with Oxford, Miss., a little more by committing.
The 6-foot-2, 220 pound prospect, who is originally from Montreal, Quebec, is ranked as a four-star prospect. He is the No. 236 overall prospect, per On3’s latest On300 rankings. Mills-Knight is the country’s 19th-ranked running back and Tennessee’s No. 7 player.
Kevin Smith offered Mills-Knight almost immediately after seeing him on film in 2023. The Tennessee recruit validated the offer with a breakout junior season for the Division II-AAA runner-up. Even though he missed four games with a high ankle sprain, he finished with over 1,200 all-purpose yards.
Part of the reason Shekai Mills-Knight picked Ole Miss was the multi-RB system plan.
Ole Miss plans to take more than one running back commit in the 2025 class. After 2024, the Rebels will most lose Ulysses Bentley and Rashad Amos. So reloading the room isn’t out of the ordinary. But, the staff has done a nice job of pitching a 1,2 punch approach.
It’s no secret Lane Kiffin loves to run the football and dictate pace with it. The idea of having two high-quality prospects coming into the system together bodes well not only for the program’s future at the position, but also the longevity of each player’s career.
In 2022, Ole Miss had Zach Evans and Quinshon Judkins. Last season, the Rebels had Judkins and Bentley. And this year it will be Bentley, Amos and Logan Diggs. The trend will continue in 2025 with Mills-Knight and another prospect (or two) joining Diggs in Oxford.
Ole Miss would love to pair SKM with Akylin Dear, Ousmane Kromah and/or Jamarion Morrow.
