4-star WR Xavier McDonald the latest to lock in July 4 commitment date

The first week of July is going to be jam-packed with important college decisions. The Fourth of July alone will feature a bevy of high-profile commitments. Morton (Miss.) four-star wide receiver Xavier McDonald is now on the list.

The standout pass-catcher told Rivals’ Sam Spiegelman on Friday that he too will commit on July 4. He’ll have four hats on the table: LSU, North Carolina, Ole Miss and Sacramento State.

McDonald is the No. 114 overall prospect and No. 16 WR 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.

The 6-foot-3, 160-pounder has entered decision mode following a surprise official visit to Sacramento State last weekend. The Hornets have looked to flex their recruiting muscle with blue-chippers this cycle and will look to pull off a massive upset next weekend.

LSU and Ole Miss have been at the center of McDonald’s recruitment for some time. He logged OVs to both the Tigers and Rebels earlier this month, too. The likes of Auburn, Alabama and Florida are other programs that were previously involved in his process this year. McDonald took an OV to Auburn at the beginning of the month, but the Tigers did not make his final cut.

McDonald talks LSU and Ole Miss

After logging officials to Baton Rouge and Oxford, McDonald has the two SEC powers in his final four. He discussed his interest in both programs when speaking with On3 this month:

Ole Miss: “I’m from the Sip so they want me to stay in the Sip so they’re going to do whatever they can to keep me in the Sip. Just the love was there and I felt it so it was just great being at Ole Miss,” he told OMSpirit’s Billy Embody. “Seeing the energy, the love that they’ve been getting, it’s just the players. Players are great and you’re going to be around great people and you’re going to have better opportunities to play. It was just the love there.”

LSU: “LSU is definitely high on my list,” McDonald told On3’s Chad Simmons. “The overall visit was great. The feeling on campus was amazing. Seeing the love and energy has me feeling great about LSU … “Meeting with the coaches was great. I spent time with coach Kelly and coach Hank (Cortez Hankton). Their message was that coming to LSU will be a great and fun place to go. They also wanted to make sure that I know that their care about my degree more than football because my degree will last forever. They made me feel like LSU is the place to be.”