2026 Defensive Lineman Carmelow Reed Flips Commitment to Ole Miss
OXFORD, Miss. — Following the first weekend of the summer recruiting season, the Ole Miss Rebels are making waves in a significant way. Not only did Ole Miss secure a standout transfer from Hawaii, defensive back Isreal Solomon, but they also achieved their first flip of the June recruiting push with former Wisconsin-commit and 2026 defensive lineman Carmelow Reed choosing the Rebs on Monday.
Standing tall at 6-foot-6 and weighing 250 pounds, this three-star prospect from Rich Township in Olympia Fields, Illinois, made a memorable official visit to the Velvet Ditch this past weekend. By Monday, he had rewritten his future, officially committing to the Ole Miss Rebels.
BREAKING: Class of 2026 EDGE Carmelow Reed has Flipped his Commitment from Wisconsin to Ole Miss, he tells me for @on3recruits
The 6’6 250 EDGE from Richton Park, IL had been Committed to the Badgers since April
“Tell them boys come to the Sip🦈”https://t.co/LDI3Usw9Do pic.twitter.com/3kS8ylBl4L
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) June 2, 2025
Reed, ranked as the No. 63 overall defensive lineman in the 2026 class and the No. 13 athlete emerging from the Midwest, had been committed to the Badgers since early April. However, Randall Joyner, known for his exceptional eye for scouting top-tier linemen, recognized Reed’s potential back in March when the Rebels extended an offer to this talented prospect.
Although Reed was initially scheduled to return to Madison following his new commitment, he decided to forgo that visit. His focus has now shifted entirely to the Rebels, where he is ready to make an impact on the defensive front.
As a junior at Rich Township, Reed recorded an impressive 33 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, 5 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, and 1 fumble recovery.
The Fit in the Sip
Reed is an exceptional raw talent with immense potential. As a utility lineman, he brings versatility and options to the defensive front for the Rebels. With time and experience, he will undoubtedly refine his skills, and his tape showcases impressive pass-rushing ability and agility. He possesses a strong foundational talent—exactly the kind of characteristic you want in a lineman, one that can be developed further. At the next level, his diverse skill set positions him to excel as a BUCK or even transition to the defensive end.
Notre Dame OL commit Ben Nichols and Wisconsin EDGE commit Carmelow Reed battle one-on-one at UA Columbus 🍀🦡 pic.twitter.com/7DsN4nIU4p
— Rivals (@Rivals) April 27, 2025
This versatility is a significant asset for the Rebels, who have been actively seeking skilled utility players capable of filling multiple roles along the line. Reed’s frame is complemented by a keen ability to navigate around opponents, allowing him to win battles by outmaneuvering them. Once he learns to effectively utilize his frame and incorporate his hands as tools for gaining leverage in various situations, he will elevate his game even further.
As Reed approaches his senior season, there is tremendous potential for growth. This is a major win for the Ole Miss trenches in 2026, and what a fantastic way to kick off the summer recruiting season in the ‘Sip with a not just a commitment but a flip! Welcome to the Velvet Ditch, Carmelow.
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.
