‘Ole Miss just stayed with me’: Rebels get their man as four-star ATH Noreel White flips from Arkansas to the ‘Sip
OXFORD, Miss. — Persistence paid off as Ole Miss has flipped highly-coveted in-state athlete Noreel White.
Staying at the crib 📍#SipMade pic.twitter.com/0iuStvEKRg
— Noreel White (@NoreelWhite_) August 25, 2023
Back in March, White, one of the top athletes in the 2024 class and a major Ole Miss target, committed to the Arkansas Razorbacks. But on August 1st, the Ocean Springs, Miss. native decommitted and the Rebels were back in it.
On Friday morning, the talented White flipped and committed to Ole Miss in what can best be described as a major catch for Coach Kiffin and staff. Wide receivers coach Derrick Nix and Kelvin Bolden, coordinator of recruiting strategy for Ole Miss, have been key figures in the recruitment.
White chose the Rebels over Arkansas, Auburn, Florida State, LSU, and Mississippi State, among many others.
On picking Ole Miss, White told On3’s Chad Simmons:
“Ole Miss just stayed with me. They have been very consistent with me and they never gave up on me. That meant something. They showed me I was important to them and how much they care for us in-state guys. Ole Miss made me feel like I can stay home and be one of the best receivers in the program.“
Noreel White
The 6-1, 190-pound White, a four-star recruit, ranks as the nation’s No. 27 athlete and the No. 7 player in the state of Mississippi for 2024.
Of the top ten 2024 players in the Magnolia State, four are now committed to the Rebels: Kamarion Franklin, Kamron Beavers, Jeffery Rush and White.
🦊🦊🦊 pic.twitter.com/TUoRpoysml
— Noreel White (@NoreelWhite_) August 19, 2023
White, who can play defensive back or wide receiver, was at Ole Miss for Juice Fest ’23 at the end of July, and that apparently helped turn the tide in favor of the Rebels.
It also didn’t hurt that the Rebels have promised him a shot at wide receiver, while the Hogs had tended to want to use him more on defense. Head coach Sam Pittman’s Razorbacks already have three standouts pledged to them at wide receiver for 2024.
WATCH: St. Martin QB D.K. Jenkins hooking up with ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ WR Noreel White for their team's fifth TD of the first half. Yellowjackets win 48-20
(@NoreelWhite_/@jenkins_dk/@StMartinSports/@StMartinFB/@SMHSAthleticsPA/@StMartinHighSc1/@CoachTySmith/@Coastfootball/@bshields0244) pic.twitter.com/l2APdO93eL
— Jeff Haeger (@TheJeffTakeWXXV) September 10, 2022
While the St. Martin (Ocean Springs, Miss.) product had been committed to Arkansas since March 13, the Rebels never quit on the recruiting trail with White and that paid off with his Tuesday decommit.
— Noreel White (@NoreelWhite_) August 1, 2023
“First off, I would like to thank Coach Pittman and Coach Woodson and the Arkansas staff for believing in my abilities and trusting me since day one, and (the) Fayetteville community and fan base was great. After much consideration and talks with my loved ones it is in my best interest to decommit for the University of Arkansas and reopen my recruitment. Arkansas will still be one of my top choices. Respect my decision,” White exclaimed in his decommitment tweet.
In addition to the Rebels, White held offers from: Arkansas, Auburn, Florida State, LSU, Mississippi State, Southern Miss and UNLV.
On3 recruiting analyst Cody Bellaire has high praise for White and his skillset.
“The thing I love about Noreel is the versatility. The film is phenomenal. He’s a dynamic playmaker. When the ball is in his hands, he makes defenders miss in a phone booth consistently. Body type says wide receiver, maybe running back, but the skill-set screams, ‘Get the ball in this kid’s hands.’“
On3 analyst Cody Bellaire on Noreel White
White will be a December graduate and an early enrollee.
Welcome to the ‘Sip, Noreel!
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.
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