JUCO standout defensive lineman Isaiah Iton commits to the Rebels
OXFORD, Miss. — While Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin and his Rebels may be on lockdown for a few more days, that hasn’t stopped the “Lane Train” from gaining momentum on its recruiting route as the early signing period is quickly approaching. The Rebels have notched four commitments in the last four days, including the most recent, JUCO defensive tackle Isaiah Iton who committed Sunday to Ole Miss.
They counted me out so I found way for them to count me in! #Nextchapter 10000% committed pic.twitter.com/HPbbqZeemD
— Isaiah.Iひ (@Isaiahiton2) December 6, 2020
If the last 72 hours are any indication of things to come, the Rebels could be dancing in the streets of Oxford on the way to what could be darn close to a Top 25 recruiting class.
Where there’s a will, there’s a way
It is no secret Ole Miss needs more depth on the defensive side of the ball, and they’ve gone to Hutchinson, Kansas for help, specifically Hutchison Community College, where they landed Iton.
The 6-foot-4, 295-pound Pearland, TX native is no stranger to doing work in the trenches. As a freshman at North Colorado, Iton accounted for 20 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, and one sack. He transferred to Hutchinson, but the COVID pandemic led to the NJCAA postponement of the season to spring, meaning Iton has not been able to play ball this fall.
As they say, though, where there is will there is a way —and Iton sure made his. Because of the lack of a season for his team, Iton had to work even harder to get on the radar of college coaches this year. In fact, it was his evaluation film from his fall camp that helped place him in the sights of some of the nation’s top Power 5 programs.
Iton heads to Ole Miss after turning down offers from Florida State, Baylor, Arkansas, Mississippi State, Missouri, Syracuse, Texas Tech, Maryland, and Virginia Tech, to name a few.
A giant on the field
Since his high school days in Texas, Iton has proven to be an athletic giant on the field. No matter where he has played, he has continued to develop and it shows.
Iton is the sort of athlete a coach covets — not only because he can make an instant impact on the Rebels’ defensive line, but because he’s coachable and adaptable.
Iton is also versatile and consistent. He has quickness off the ball, but he can also work on the inside and be a difficult match-up for his opponents. His ability to consistently win one-on-one battles makes him a threat upfront, which is something the Rebels need desperately.
The addition of Iton, along with commits from JUCO stud Jamond Gordon and high school baller Jibran Hawkins, gives the Ole Miss the makings of something beautiful and chaotic for opposing O-Lines in the future.
And there are still plenty of potential passengers on the Lane Train that could make this line even more lethal — including DT Taleeq Robbins out of Philadelphia’s Imhotep Institute. Robbins is considering both the Rebels and A&M, as of this writing, and holds offers from more than 35 schools.
As the song goes, “all good things in all good time,” and Isaiah Iton’s commitment to Ole Miss came right on time. Thankfully, the Lane Train made a stop in Kansas to pick up a much-needed powerhouse to help rebuild and revive the defense.
Hotty Toddy!
Lee Ann Herring-Olvedo
Lee Ann is the Director of Recruiting for The Rebel Walk. She is a veteran SEC sports journalist and NFL content writer. She is also the Sr. Editor for MESPORTS digital. Herring-Olvedo is a Brown University graduate who loves good cigars, good games, and a smooth glass of bourbon — not necessarily in that order.
