A Visit with 2028 CB Braylen Bedford: ‘Getting the offer from Ole Miss was a dream come true’
OXFORD, Miss. — In the words of the late American novelist Louis L’Amour: “Some say opportunity knocks only once, that is not true. Opportunity knocks all the time, but you have to be ready for it. If the chance comes, you must have the equipment to take advantage of it.”
Class of 2028 cornerback Braylen Bedford has the equipment and is definitely ready to seize all the opportunities in front of him, starting with the Ole Miss football camp he attended Friday — where he received his first collegiate offer, coming from Lane Kiffin and the Rebels.
’28 @braylen_bed made quite the impression on the Rebels at the Friday Night Lights camp! Earning his first offer. We will have more with Bedford @TheRebelWalk! #RWRecruiting #CampingInTheSip pic.twitter.com/SA0mKqSgGP
— LeeAnn Herring (@MissKYUS2011) June 2, 2024
Football camp season is now in full force from coast to coast, and for the next few weeks athletes like Bedford will traveling and putting in the work in hopes of building strong relationships with programs and perhaps punching their golden ticket of opportunity in the form of an offer.
Ole Miss kicked off its camp season Friday with the Rebels’ Friday Nights Lights camp where plenty of notable playmakers came out to catch the eyes of Coach Kiffin and his staff. One such player who did just that is Bedford.
In the last 24 hours, plenty of young rising athletes’ dreams are slowly becoming a reality, and Bedford is certainly one of those young men whose hard work paid off. When it was all said and done Friday, he had gone from no offers to a big-time SEC offer.
The 5-foot-10, 155-pound corner, who will be leaving Houston (Miss.) High School to play for Vardaman, will be one to watch as this will likely be the first of many offers to come in his rising career.
We had a chance to catch up with Bedford to talk about his experience and camp and what it meant to leave with an offer.
Rebel Walk (RW): What did you enjoy most about your camp experience at Ole Miss?
Bedford: I mostly enjoyed getting a chance to do drills and competing in front of the coaches.
RW: What did it meant to come out of camp with an offer from the Rebels?
Bedford: Getting the offer from Ole Miss was a dream come true, and plus you only get your first offer one time!
RW: What stands out to you about the Ole Miss program?
Bedford: Coaches and staff — they treat everyone with love and respect, no matter who you are!
RW: What are you most looking for in your future program?
Bedford: A program that’s gonna believe in me and always push me to do my best!
RW: It is still early in your recruitment, but are there any other programs right now that you are interested in or have shown interest in you?
Bedford: Mississippi State, Memphis, Southern Miss, Georgia State, etc. have showed interest, but I’m interested in the schools that want me and Ole Miss is MY PROGRAM!
RW: What do you believe is your X-Factor skill(s) that you can bring to a program?
Bedford: My X Factors: shutdown man-to-man, ball hawk, play recognition, big hits, zone cover, and also can play WR.
RW: Will you be camping or visiting any other programs this summer?
Bedford: I’ve got Memphis June 2, Mississippi College June 5, Mississippi State, June 12, Alabama June 15, and FBU Top Gun June 27-30.
Bedford is rolling into summer with plenty of momentum and even though he’s received his first SEC offer, you can bet he will still continue to put in the hard work to continue to earn as many additional opportunities as he can.
Keep your eyes out on this rising sensation, Rebels!
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.