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4-star RB Damarius Yates commits to Ole Miss

hunterby: Hunter Shelton05/04/25HunterShelton_
Damarius Yates7.JPG

De Kalb (Miss.) Kemper County four-star running back Damarius Yates has committed to Ole Miss, he announced on Sunday.

The one-time Mississippi State commit chose the Rebels over the Bulldogs, as well as Alabama, Florida State and a wave of other high-profile offers. He decommitted from Mississippi State in December.

Yates is the No. 148 overall prospect and No. 12 RB in the 2026 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He’s also the No. 6 player in Mississippi.

“Their play scheme fits me perfect and it’s just a great school to be a part of,” Yates told On3’s Steve Wiltfong about his decision. “(Running backs coach Kevin Smith) is a guy who’s going to let you know, if you don’t wanna work, don’t come. He is the perfect example of showing you instead of just saying he will do this and that.”

The 5-foot-9.5, 180-pounder is still set to stay in the Magnolia State at the college level, but Oxford is the new destination. Yates took multiple spring visits and a May official visit to see Lane Kiffin and the Ole Miss staff. Momentum continued to build and he’s now in the boat, adding to a class that now ranks No. 15 in the On3 Industry Team Recruiting Rankings.

“My Ole Miss visit was great,” Yates told OMSpirit after his OV. “I liked their players, the way their scheme is. The offensive scheme that they run. The brotherhood that they have. Basically, it’s a great place to be. They’re my No. 1 pick right now.”

As a junior for Kemper County, Yates rushed for 1,339 yards and 15 touchdowns while also hauling in 30 catches for 453 yards and four touchdowns. He’s the second highest-ranked commit in the Ole Miss class.

Ole Miss adds another blue-chipper to 2026 class

The Rebels made a major splash on Friday, as Leesburg (Fla.) Tavares four-star linebacker Izayia Williams flipped from Florida. On3’s No. 1 LB, Williams is an elite recruit who’s now been committed to five different college programs.

Sacramento Folsom four-star wide receiver Jameson Powell, a top-40 recruit out of California, is the other blue-chip commit in the class to date. Powell committed toward the end of January and is the teammate of fellow Rebels target and five-star quarterback Ryder Lyons.

“The coaches are great. They recruited me hard, they made me feel wanted and they will help me develop,” Powell told On3’s Chad Simmons upon committing. “My parents helped me a lot too. They love the coaches, they felt comfortable with my decision and we all felt good about this.”

Ole Miss landed two commitments last month via Austin (Texas) Westlake three-star quarterback Rees Wise and Nettleton (Miss.) Tupelo three-star cornerback Braylon Williams. Wise is a top-500 prospect and currently the nation’s No. 29 QB. He plays for one of the top high school programs in Texas.

Niceville (Fla.) three-star athlete Zion Legree has been in the class since November. He rounds things out alongside Williams and Montgomery (Ala.) Pike Road three-star running back Ja’Michael Jones, the No. 36 RB in the cycle.