'They could be a top pick': Ole Miss makes quite the impression on fast-rising OT

Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin has been a man about town lately. Earlier this week, he was making the rounds in the state of Mississippi.

On Tuesday, West Jones (Miss.) offensive tackle Bryson Cooley got a chance to sit down with both Kiffin and coordinator of recruiting strategy Kelvin Bolden. And the three-star prospect didn’t hold back when describing the meeting when OMSpirit spoke with him.

“They could be a top pick in my recruitment,” Cooley said. “I will be at Ole Miss Saturday.”

6'6 Sophomore
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— Bil (@Bryson1of1) December 13, 2023

Ole Miss is on the 33rd-ranked offensive tackle’s radar already. But, it’s not alone.

He tells OMSpirit, as of now, he hears the most from LSU, Florida, Florida State, Mississippi State, Memphis and Tulane. Furthermore, because his recruitment is seemingly just getting started, he has yet to determine a decision date. Jackson State, Toledo and UNLV have also offered.

The Gators could be an early contender alongside Ole Miss. On3’s Corey Bender recapped Cooley’s interest in Florida with him last month.

“It really came out of nowhere. They had texted me a while back and told me (about their slogan) 5 = 1 and how that’s the Gators. I was like, ‘Woah, the University of Florida just texted me.’ Then they offered me a couple of days ago and I was very excited. It came out of nowhere and I was just hanging out with my friends. It was another blessing.”

Cooley is familiar with Oxford, Miss., visiting several times for games in 2024. But, this weekend when he arrives for Junior Day, he will get a much more detailed look. The 6-foot-6, 285 pounder is sure to be a hot commodity once the summer camp circuit hits.