Midnight Special: 4-Star OT Bryson Hurst Commits to Ole Miss
“Night people hanging out,
Looking at each other.
Waiting for something to happen.
When the day world stops moving,
Night people start grooving.”
— Allen Toussaint, Night People
Just a few strokes after midnight, the Rebels yet again made things happen on the 2022 recruiting trail with a HUGE late-night pick-up from another top in-state talent in 2022 4-star OT Bryson Hurst.
I am 110% Committed to The University of Mississippi 🔵🔴 #HOTTYTODDY🦈🦈 pic.twitter.com/nnPLD4ytFm
— 4 ⭐️ Bryson Hurst🧤 (@BrysonHurst78) August 25, 2021
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Many Rebels anxiously awaiting Hurst’s commitment thought they were going to get a chance to sip their morning coffee before finding out his plans. However, Hurst took to Twitter late Tuesday evening and decided to officially become a midnight mover and announce — on his birthday, no less — he would be attending Ole Miss.
That’s a huge gift for Ole Miss and head coach Lane Kiffin.
Following his announcement, we asked Hurst what sealed the deal for him in making his commitment to the Rebels.
“It just felt like family every time I went to Oxford, and it just felt like the right thing to do.“
Bryson Hurst on his pledge to Ole Miss
By the numbers
The colossal 6-foot-6, 320-pounder out of Gautier, Miss. comes in as the No. 30 OT in the country for 2022, the No. 1 lineman in the state of Mississippi — and the No. 8 overall prospect in MS at any position, according to the 247Sports Composite.
Ole Miss beat out a number of power players to keep this talent at home in the ‘Sip, including: Mississippi State, Auburn, Kentucky, Florida State, UCF and Oregon.
Hurst’s pledge puts the Rebels’ 2022 class at 11 commits to date for this recruiting cycle.
What a way to kick-off a Wednesday with another #PartyInTheSip!
Hurst’s Fit In The Sip
They say timing is everything, and this couldn’t ring more true when it comes to recruiting. The veteran starter for Gautier High School comes at just the right time for the Rebels and will help continue to bring much-needed power and size to the O-line.
If you caught Coach Kiffin’s Tuesday presser, you may have seen him discuss the need for more depth up front on the Rebels’ offense. He and his staff are building for the future with the strong presence from a commitment like Hurst’s.
While he may have taken a little time to see the sites and sounds at other campuses, as well he should, ultimately Hurst chose to stay and help elevate his home state — and you can bet offensive line coach Jake Thornton and the rest of the Rebels are sure glad he did.
Right off the jump, the O-Line will get that much-needed size and physicality that comes with a talent like Hurst, something the Rebels need to defend that backfield arsenal they have been building. Hurst will join the Rebels’ other class of 2022 offensive line commits Timi Gagophien (6-foot-7, 290-lbs.), Preston Cushman (6-foot-5, 281-lbs.), and Jacarius Clayton (6-foot-6.5, 275-lbs.) a towering group, for sure.
Ryan Wright of RecruitingNews.com describes Hurst as follows:
“Strength, mobility, long arms, and the desire to punish, just a few traits that help define the game of Mississippi four-star left tackle Bryson Hurst. Stretching the tape to 6-foot, 6-inches, while tipping the scales at svelte 300 pounds, Hurst is that developing cornerstone talent that has future collegiate All-Conference written all over him…”
Ryan Wright on Bryson Hurst
There is no denying the presence Hurst has with his frame. His wide hips make for a powerful stance, and he has success when he shuffles his feet — which is one part of why he is a masterful run blocker. His length and ability to move makes it extremely frustrating for a defensive front and those linebackers to get past him.
Coach Kiffin and company continue bring much-needed size to the line, something that will be a game-changer on Saturdays. It’s all about progression and the Rebels are quietly building that in 2022.
Look for Bryson Hurst to be one of the people making noise on Saturday nights in the SEC!
(Feature image courtesy 247Sports)
Lee Ann Herring-Olvedo
Herring-Olvedo sees college football the way championship programs do—from inside the personnel room. Every evaluation, every roster move, every recruiting battle tells a bigger story about identity, culture, and how a program is built to win in December, not just July.
With more than 15 years covering the SEC and the national recruiting landscape, Herring-Olvedo has built a reputation as one of the sport’s most respected personnel-driven voices—blending film evaluation, roster construction, and long-term program vision through a true front-office lens. Her coverage of powerhouse brands like Ole Miss Rebels and Kentucky Wildcatshas consistently gone beyond headlines, focusing instead on the blueprint behind winning programs: development, fit, culture, and recruiting strategy.
That foundation was formed early at Brown University, where she worked in player personnel and recruiting while competing as a student-athlete. Inside those recruiting operations rooms, she learned how elite organizations are truly built—through relentless evaluation, relationship building, projection, and trust in the board. Those experiences shaped the way she studies the game today: part scout, part storyteller, part architect.
Her analysis and reporting have appeared across major platforms including ESPN, NFL coverage spaces, USA Today Sports, and Saturday Down South. She also brought her personnel-minded approach to the airwaves as an on-air analyst for the Wake Up 502 College Football Show on Big X Sports Radio 96.1, where she became known for combining film-room detail with a wider understanding of roster identity and program trajectory.
In 2025, covering the rise of Houston Cougars football under Willie Fritz reignited the part of the sport that first drew her into football—the culture, the edge, the belief that a roster can reshape an entire city. That inspiration led to the launch of Coogs 365 Sports, a platform built to cover Houston athletics through a true scouting and recruiting lens while connecting the emotion of the game to the heartbeat of H-Town.
Now, Herring-Olvedo returns to The Rebel Walk where with an even deeper perspective shaped by years inside recruiting circles, national SEC coverage, and hands-on evaluation experience. Her return brings a familiar voice back to Ole Miss coverage—but with an evolved lens rooted in roster architecture, player development, and the modern realities of building championship-caliber football in the NIL and portal era.
For Herring-Olvedo, recruiting has never been about stars beside a name. It is about identifying competitors, projecting growth, and building a locker room capable of sustaining success. Her philosophy mirrors the best front offices in football: stack traits, trust culture, and never stop building.
