Rebels Offer 2025 Tight End Ryan Ghea: A Visit with Ghea and his Head Coach Ben Reaves
OXFORD, Miss. — Esa-Pekka Salonen, conductor laureate of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, writes: “Every orchestra I know, every opera house I know, is desperately looking around trying to find new talent, new composing talent, supporting young composers, supporting new ideas, supporting new ways of getting the message across.”
It’s certainly no different when it comes to football, as Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin and his staff are always looking to find new talent on the recruiting trail that will help the Rebels compose the perfect score this season.
And in class of 2025 tight end Ryan Ghea, Coach Kiffin has found a wonderful accompaniment for his growing symphony.
Ghea, a Georgia native who plays for Milton High School in Alpharetta Georgia, received an offer from Ole Miss back on May 12.
Blessed to receive a Scholarship offer to Ole Miss! Thank you to @coach_jdbaker for the opportunity. @BroskoDASH_5 @Lane_Kiffin @MiltonEagles_FB @CoachBenReaves @Mansell247 @ChadSimmons_ @RWrightRivals @lukewinstel @BHoward_11 @TEwracademy @routeking_1 @BigWillie7179 @Slymom261 pic.twitter.com/UnTVqFRLsK
— RyanGhea (@RyanGhea2025) May 12, 2022
Ghea also visited Oxford Friday, June 17.
👀 Hard. Great time at Ole Miss today! This hallway before you step on field for the game was next level. @coach_jdbaker @BroskoDASH_5 @CoachDane1 @FisherRay_5 @Lane_Kiffin @RebelsFBRec @OleMissFB @OleMissSports @MissKYUS2011 @ pic.twitter.com/9PMBwkBY3k
— RyanGhea (@RyanGhea2025) June 18, 2022
The 6-foot-5, 220-pound playmaker has been making his mark this offseason. Power 5 programs are definitely taking notice of the young man who is developing his talent at one of the nation’s premier high school programs at Milton under head coach Ben Reaves.
Ghea also holds offers from Louisville, Indiana, and Georgia Tech. Many more will be forthcoming.
The Rebel Walk recently had a chance to catch up with Ryan and his head coach, Ben Reaves, after the offer from the Rebels.
A Vist with Ryan Ghea
Rebel Walk: No doubt you are quickly catching the eye of many Power 5 programs. What does it feel like to get your first SEC offer, that from Ole Miss?
Ryan Ghea: I feel honored to receive the Ole Miss offer!
Rebel Walk: What about Ole Miss and the Rebels’ offense stands out, and what do you think you could bring to it down the road?
Ryan Ghea: Their offense is very similar to my high school offense. I can put my hand in dirt or be split out. My strength is the passing game but I’m working hard to elevate my blocking. I think Ole Miss would be getting a hard worker that is a dedicated student and athlete.
2025 TE Ryan Ghea tells us "the family feel" and how the Rebels use the tight end stood out the most to him on his visit to Ole Miss. #HottyToddy #ComeToTheSip https://t.co/bCv17RhApk
— The Rebel Walk (@TheRebelWalk) June 18, 2022
Rebel Walk: You are also a talented baseball player. Will that factor into your future top schools?
Ryan Ghea: Baseball is passion of mine and I am currently being recruited by a lot of schools out there. I love football and baseball, but baseball won’t play a role in deciding on a school.
Head Coach Ben Reaves on 2025 Tight End Ryan Ghea
Rebel Walk: If anyone has seen Ryan’s talent develop, it’s you as his head coach. What is his ‘X- Factor’ skill-set that you think has really caught power five programs’ attention?
Coach Reaves: For starters, Ryan has an unbelievable 6’5 frame for a 15 year old, but he also has a strong work ethic to accompany it. Oftentimes, bigger kids don’t always grind as hard as a smaller kids with something to prove, because they already have the tools they need. Ryan is the opposite, he grinds and works like he’s a sub six-foot TE just trying to make someone’s roster.
Fundamentally, the thing that sticks out most about Ryan is how fluid he is for his age at running routes and catching the football. Many bigger kids go through a phase where they have to learn and grow into their bodies. From a coordination standpoint, he is already there, and will be very polished by the time he leaves high school.
Rebel Walk: What has been the biggest improvement you’ve seen this off-season?
Coach Reaves: His biggest improvement is, and will continue to be, improving his strength. He works out hard and knows he’s at a level now where he has to in order to mix it up with some of the teams in the box he will go against. The bodies and skill level of the guys he will see early in the season will be on a higher level than anything he has seen before, and he’ll continue to improve his strength to be dominant in the box against those players.
Rebel Walk: You have been both offensive coordinator and now head coach at Milton. Was there a particular time you saw Ryan have a breakout moment?
Coach Reaves: In my opinion, Ryan really came into his own last season when he was brought up to play in a JV game and had some really big catches versus what was higher competition than he was used to playing at the time.
When I saw him step into that game and not only fit in but be dominant in some areas against a team playing sophomores and juniors, I knew we were on to something big.
Coach Kiffin and the Rebels have found a talented tight end in Ghea, and they aren’t ignoring any opportunity to discover untapped talent early. Even if there is ample time before the class of 2025 is officially on the clock, it it is still important to continue to build relationships that are lasting — and that’s just what the Ole Miss coaches are doing.
Hotty Toddy, and congrats to Ryan on his first SEC offer!
(Feature image graphic: Lee Ann Herring, The Rebel Walk)
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.
