Ole Miss strikes first on elite 2029 wideout Levi Scott III
OXFORD, Miss. — Under head coach Pete Golding, we are learning Ole Miss doesn’t wait for the crowd when it comes to recruiting. When they see a player, they move — and with 2029 wide receiver Levi Scott III out of The McCallie School in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Ole Miss moved fast, moved first, and moved with purpose.
On June 17, the Rebels extended an offer to Scott — his first from the SEC. Let that sink in. In a conference that produces more NFL wide receivers than any other in the country, Ole Miss looked at this kid from one of Tennessee’s elite prep programs and said: You can play here. You can compete here. We want you.
That’s not a courtesy offer. That’s a statement.
“It feels great to know that they feel like I’m a player who can compete in a program like theirs — that they see my skill set and recognize the type of player I am.”
— Levi Scott III, 2029 WR, The McCallie School
And now? Ole Miss is no longer alone. After Scott turned heads — and then some — at a camp in Baton Rouge, LSU wide receivers coach George McDonald has the Tigers firmly in the mix. The momentum is real and it is building fast.
When asked if other programs are standing out early in the wake of the Ole Miss offer, Scott is relaxed about it. “Not yet — but I’m sure some will soon.” Classic. The kid already knows his market. After what he showed in Baton Rouge, the crystal balls are going to start spinning.
Scott is a priority and for good reason. McCallie consistently produces high-level football talent, and Scott has the tools that translate: crisp route running, reliable hands, and the kind of football IQ that you can’t coach.
The Grind Don’t Stop!!#grind #working @AdariusBowman @Rivals @McCallieFB @JoelBradford_4 @247Sports @MilliAthGroup @ChadSimmons_ @BrandonHuffman @CSmithScout @Coach_CJBailey pic.twitter.com/0EaTGKAs8d
— Levi Scott lll (@SportsGod1k) May 19, 2026
Ole Miss has become one of the premier destinations for wide receivers in college football. The Rebels have built a pipeline to the NFL out of their receiver room, and their facilities and staff depth have made them a genuine contender for blue-chip pass catchers at every position. Scott recognizes what he’d be walking into.
“Ole Miss was my first SEC offer, which means a lot to me. They have a great coaching staff and top-notch facilities. I want to keep a great connection with all the coaches and members on staff.”
Levi Scott on Ole Miss
Here’s where it gets really interesting. Ask Scott what he wants in a college program, and the answer tells you everything about what kind of player and person you’re getting.
“A scheme and environment that can fit me as a person and as a player — and just an overall program that can help me become the best version of myself on and off the field.”
— Levi Scott III, on his recruitment priorities
That’s the answer of a high-character recruit. He’s not leading with NIL, nor name-dropping brand deals. He’s talking about fit, scheme, culture, development, and the complete picture of what a college program can do for him as a human being. Programs like Ole Miss will sell themselves on all of those fronts. The battle for Levi Scott III is going to be a real one.
The class of 2029 is still in its infancy, but the recruits who matter — the ones who change programs — get identified early. Ole Miss identified Levi Scott III before anyone else in the SEC. They got in the building first. Now comes the hard part: holding him when the floodgates open.
And they will open. Count on it.
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.
