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Five-star DL Kamarion Franklin, the No. 1 player in the state of Mississippi, has committed to Ole Miss

Posted by | Aug 19, 2023 | ,

Five-star DL Kamarion Franklin, the No. 1 player in the state of Mississippi, has committed to Ole Miss

OXFORD, Miss. — One of the most intense recruiting battles of the 2024 cycle came to a head Saturday at noon as defensive lineman Kamarion Franklin, the No. 1 player in the state of Mississippi, announced his verbal commitment to Ole Miss. 

“Big Kam,” as he is known in the football world, made the announcement live on his Instagram.

Franklin holds over 36 offers to date, and ultimately chose Ole Miss over Auburn, Florida State, Miami and Tennessee. Early Signing Day is December 20, 2023.

Getting the best

Ole Miss now has commits from three of the top five prospects in the state of Mississippi for 2024. The Rebels got three of the top five in the 2023 cycle, as well.

In the four years from 2019-2022, Ole Miss only signed three TOTAL of the top five in their respective cycles.

If Franklin signs in December, the Rebels will have landed the No. 1 recruit in Mississippi for the second consecutive year after having signed 5-star linebacker Suntarine Perkins in the 2023 cycle. Ole Miss previously had not signed the state’s top recruit since 2015.

Auburn had long been thought to hold the edge over the others, but a late push by the Rebels was enough to sway Kamarion to Oxford. Ole Miss and staff will now look to hold on until the December 20 early signing day.

It has been no secret that the Rebs have made strengthening the defensive line a priority in Pete Golding’s defense. Head coach Lane Kiffin and his staff are well on their way to an elite 2024 class, and in Franklin’s case they didn’t have to look far — he is from nearby Lake Cormorant, Miss. 

The 6-foot-5, 285-pound 5-star is the No. 30 overall prospect in the country,  the No. 6 defensive lineman in the nation and the No. 1 overall player in the Sip.

During his junior campaign, Kamarion set the single-season sack record at Lake Cormorant where he notched 93 tackles and 19 sacks. 

He also returned one fumble for a touchdown and blocked three kicks.  

Big Kam is a player that has shown growth every season. Even during his sophomore season, he was a driving force on the defensive line as he tallied 71 tackles, 11 sacks, 4 INTs, and one forced fumble.

And there’s more!

Franklin’s athleticism doesn’t just shine on the gridiron, it also shines on the hardwood. When he’s not taking down offensive linemen, he is all in for Lake Cormorant hoops. 

As a junior, he averaged 6.2 points per game, 7.9 rebounds and 1.0 blocks. During his sophomore season on the court, he averaged 6.4 points, 7.4 rebounds and 1.0 blocks per game.

There’s no question this defensive unit is well on its way to being one of the top in the class of 2024. (Click here to see a list of the 2024 commits.)

Bravo to defensive coordinator Pete Golding who made Franklin’s recruitment a top priority, as did defensive line coach Randall Joyner, and coordinator of recruiting strategy Kelvin Bolden. They remained persistent in Kamarion’s recruitment and worked to keep such strong talent at home. 

Hotty Toddy to the “King of the ‘Sip!”
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.

About The Author

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.

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