A Visit with 2025 WR TI Mims on his Top 8 schools and the Rebels’ win over South Carolina
OXFORD, Miss. — Things are heating up on the recruiting trail as more of the Rebels’ prospects start to narrow down their top schools as we approach the December signing period. Class of 2025 three-star wide receiver TI Mims, Jr. did just that on Saturday dropping his final eight schools.
#AGTG, My recruitment is still 100% Open!! Where will 🏠 be?👀. pic.twitter.com/Qj8t75COik
— TI MIMS JR! (@ti_mims) October 5, 2024
With well over 25 offers to date, the Bay Minette, Alabama native has his choice of top programs, but it looks as if Lane Kiffin’s Rebels will go head-to-head with South Carolina, Arizona State, Tulane, Troy, Southern Miss, UAB and South Alabama.
Mims, like most recruits, is in the heart of his high school season at the moment and is focused on efforts to help his Baldwin County High school team keep pushing forward.
The talented dual-way player has become quite the ticket on the recruiting trail, but that’s no surprise when one sees his swiftness and route-running ability. Those are among the many traits that have caught Ole Miss’ attention.
I will be back in action in 4weeks!!, #AGTG🙌🏾!! pic.twitter.com/XfT8RNF21U
— TI MIMS JR! (@ti_mims) July 28, 2024
In addition to his elite athletic ability, Mims’ leadership he shows in working with youth is something else that should not go unnoticed.
Have to teach them young, #AGTG🙌🏾. pic.twitter.com/afU4hu56i9
— TI MIMS JR! (@ti_mims) July 19, 2024
It will be a battle to the end to see who signs Mims, but the Rebels have put themself in a strong position. It’s interesting to note that Mims has been no stranger to repping the signature powder blue ‘Come to the Sip’ wide receiver gloves or to sharing his Ole Miss affinity on social media with fellow Ole Miss priority target, four-star safety Ladarian Clardy.
Mims currently stands as the No. 166 overall wide receiver for 2025 and the No. 39 overall athlete in the state of Alabama.
SR SZN LOADING!! 😈. pic.twitter.com/hRvFha0ehG
— TI MIMS JR! (@ti_mims) July 16, 2024
We have had several opportunities to catch up with Mims during his recruitment process, and now we are sharing the evolution of his recruitment process over the last few months as he draws nearer to making a decision.
The early stage
We spoke with Mims in the early process of his journey, and he was grateful for the opportunities schools were presenting him.
“I mean everything has been a blessing to be in this position,” he told us.
We asked Mims how NIL factors into his recruitment. “NIL is going great. Tennessee wants me bad, but I think Ole Miss is home.”
The choices are not easy for teenage kids who are making important decisions about their future. Mims shared that one of the most difficult things in the whole recruitment process has been finding a home.
While many suitors have been knocking on Mims’ door, Ole Miss continues to be at the forefront of his mind. “What stood out the most is the relationship between me and (wide receivers) Coach McDonald!” he said.
Check out my Mid season SR Highlights 7TD’S in 4 games!!🤞🏽
Check out my highlight – https://t.co/xylZP266zm
— TI MIMS JR! (@ti_mims) September 22, 2024
Mims explained what he is most looking for in his future school. “Being coached hard and disciplined, developing me on and off the field.”
Top Eight Schools
Now, we fast forward as Mims’ decision-time is inching closer. Following his announcement of his Top 8 schools, we talked with him about his recruitment, along with the Rebels’ bounce-back win over South Carolina.
“The reason I put Ole Miss in my Top 8 is because that’s my dream school — and not only that, two of my best friends (Ladarian Clardy and Talib Graham) have committed there and I just feel like we can lead this team to a championship in the future.”
TI Mims
Mims on the win
“What stood out the most about the win over South Carolina, is the energy the team and coaching staff came out with,” Mims said. “I can say they started off way faster then they did a week ago against Kentucky!!”
Mims does not have a definitive date set as to when he will announce his decision, but the time is drawing near. We look forward to keeping you up to date on his exciting recruitment.
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.
