JUCO linebacker Raymond Collins commits to Ole Miss
OXFORD, Miss. — It only takes one person to change a life, one person to believe in you. And in the case of Jones College linebacker Raymond Collins that person just might be Rebels’ defensive coordinator Pete Golding who was the first to offer the JUCO LB.
Collins visited Oxford this weekend and committed Monday. We asked what helped him choose the Rebels.
“Ole Miss was the first school to give me a chance to play D1 and there was a lot of love around the campus.”
Raymond Collins on why he chose Ole Miss
Collins, a class of 2024 athlete, is the fifth player to commit to Ole Miss this month and the third prospect the Rebels have landed in the last week.
Coach Golding has been a force since he arrived in Oxford, determined to usher in a new era of the Rebel defense. He has hit the recruiting trail with vengeance and continues to show what separates him from being not just a great recruiter — but an elite one.
Golding’s instinct for talent goes beyond the obvious picks of the top 4-star and 5-star kids. Just a little over a month ago, that ability to spot potential playmakers led Golding to be the first to offer Collins, the former Harrison Central (Gulfport, Miss.) standout.
Not only does the 6-2, 235 linebacker have an SEC build, he also has speed. He has been clocked at a 4.62 40-yard dash. During his freshman season at Jones, Collins notched 46 tackles, seven tackles for loss and 2.5 quarterback sacks.
Collins grew up with a deeply-rooted passion for the game — and was a Mississippi State fan. His Bulldog roots stemmed from his uncle, Fred Collins, who was a star running back in Starkville from 1977-1980.
Bu this past Saturday, Collins was on campus in Oxford with many of the Rebels’ top targets taking in the first week of Spring Ball. He apparently really liked what he saw.
Had an amazing time today at ole miss nun but love🦈👀🤫#HottyToddy @CoachGolding @Lane_Kiffin pic.twitter.com/c6VctszeWc
— Raymond Collins (@Ray22football) March 25, 2023
Coach Kiffin and staff were already winning big in the class of 2024 with top in-state commitments from running back Chris Davis and defensive lineman Jeffery Rush, Jr.
And they weren’t done yet.
Monday, Collins made it official that he is committed to Ole Miss.
Catch me in the O😎 #smoketeam #StayintheSip 🦈 @Lane_Kiffin @CoachGolding @_kbolden pic.twitter.com/u5fbdrSOUY
— Raymond Collins (@Ray22football) March 27, 2023
We caught up with Collins following his announcement and asked him what skills he will bring to the Rebels.
“My biggest ‘x-factor’ is that I’m going to bring a Dawg mentality to the defense and energy to the defense to make it the best in the nation.”
Raymond Collins
It is really great to see the rise of so much in-state talent deciding to stay home. Of the six commitments Ole Miss has tallied for its 2024 class, five are from Mississippi. And one coach’s belief could very well be just what the Rebels needed as they usher in a new defensive era under Coach Golding, and you can bet Raymond Collins will be a part of that.
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.
