Talented 2025 WR Muizz Tounkara Visiting the Rebels for Grove Bowl Games
OXFORD, Miss. — The ‘Party in the Sip’ is back as the Rebels are set to host the Grove Bowl Games this afternoon in Vaught-Hemingway. The festivities will be the perfect stage for the nation’s top prospects to get a glimpse of not only an elite football program in Oxford but also the unique culture that continues to make Ole Miss a special destination. One of those prospects in the Vaught today will be wide receiver Muizz Tounkara.
Tounkara is one of the Lone Star state’s most-riveting prospects, as the 6-foot-4, 195-pounder out of League City (Texas) is swiftly making a name for himself in the 2025 class.
For now, Tounkara is ranked as a three-star prospect. He stands as the No 74 wide receiver in the nation and the No.72 overall athlete out of a very talent-rich state of Texas.
6’4 195 slidin 🧑🏿🦯🧑🏿🦯 @Walkemdownceo @CoachBChavez @CoachOBrantley @coach_renfro @SerigneT97 @MikeRoach247 @adamgorney @BHoward_11 pic.twitter.com/Zy74suW9yL
— Muizz Tounkara☪️ (@TounkaraMuizz) March 29, 2024
Tounkara currently holds 15 offers, one of which came from Ole Miss last month. Schools offering him thus far include: Colorado State, Vanderbilt, Houston, Marshall, Memphis, North Texas, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Texas State, USF, and others.
There will be plenty more offers ahead for him, but keep an eye out on Missouri as Tounkara’s older brother, Serigne, is a defensive lineman for the Tigers.
A quick scouting of Tounkara shows his speed and excellent footwork.
Right back to it @Walkemdownceo @SerigneT97 @TimVerghese @CoachOBrantley @CoachBChavez @coach_renfro @bmecamps pic.twitter.com/sgzxq30KWf
— Muizz Tounkara☪️ (@TounkaraMuizz) March 24, 2024
It is no surprise that a rising young talent such as Tounkara has chosen to make a stop in the Sip where there is such a history of star receivers showcasing their abilities in Lane Kiffin’s offense. On hand at today’s Grove Bowl Games will be former Ole Miss and current NFL stars AJ Brown and Elijah Moore.
We caught up with Muizz to share a few thoughts prior to his Grove Bowl visit.
RW: What are you most looking forward on your visit to Oxford?
Tounkara: Just being around all the coaches and players and the crazy atmosphere.
RW: What has stood out most about the way the Rebels have recruited you?
Tounkara: What is standing out is the love they are showing. Calling me every day, texting me every day, making sure I know I’m one of their top priorities.
RW: Any schools right now that you are really vibing with or coming on strong in your recruitment?
Tounkara: Ole Miss, Vandy, and Penn State
RW: What do you think you could bring to a team like Ole Miss?
Tounkara: I think I could just bring my big-play ability, on special teams returning kicks and on offense scoring touchdowns.
RW: What is the timeline as far as future visits, narrowing your schools and your commitment?
Tounkara: That will be decided later after this Spring.
Muizz Tounkara has confidence in his skillset and knows what he wants, and like many rising athletes he is making sure to dive in and take every opportunity to continue to search for the best fit. He is an intriguing recruit to watch, and I know the Rebels are looking to remain on his mind.
We will have more with Tounkara following his Grove Bowl visit. Hotty Toddy!
Lee Ann Herring-Olvedo
Lee Ann serves as the Director of Recruiting for The Rebel Walk. She 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.
