Former Auburn LB likes Ole Miss

Two years ago, Hattiesburg (Oak Grove HS), Miss., linebacker Hendrick Leverette was one of Ole Miss' biggest targets at linebacker.

Leverette, rated the No. 20 outside linebacker nationally and the twelfth best player in Mississippi had his pick from among the Rebels, Auburn and West Virginia. He committed to Auburn in August 2005, and continued to show interest in Ole Miss, but ultimately choose Auburn and signed with the Tigers on national signing day in February 2006.

Despite some opportunities to play early at Auburn, he redshirted his first year at Auburn and left without ever playing for the Tigers. When he arrived in the summer of 2006, Tiger linebackers Tray Blackmon and Kevin Sears were suspended and former Waynesboro, Miss., linebacker Steve Gandy had been diagnosed with a condition that would ultimately cut short his college career. However, Leverette failed to capitalize on that situation, himself falling victim to a deep bone bruise and missing valuable practice time in fall camp.

"It was working out on the field at Auburn," Leverette said on Sunday. "But I had a lot of family issues that wasn't working out and I had to leave."

Leverette is now up to around 225 pounds from his 205 playing weight in high school and remains at about 6-foot tall. He's entering his second year at Pearl River C.C. in Poplarville, Miss.

While Leverette was a big-time target for former Rebel head coach Ed Orgeron, the Rebels are apparently either still evaluating Leverette or not too interested in bringing in a linebacker who will only have two years of eligibility remaining - and only two years to complete that since he used a redshirt season at Auburn and is entering his second season in junior college football.

"I really haven't heard much from Ole Miss since the spring," Leverettte said. "I talked to one of the coaches, I really don't recall who it was, and he said they would be in touch later this season."

With the lack of interest by Ole Miss and being a former Auburn signee having shunned Ole Miss once, is the Hattiesburg native interested in the Rebels?

"I'm definitely interested in Ole Miss," Leverette said. "I had a former teammate (Garry Pack) who played up there and I've always followed Ole Miss and I know a lot about them."

While there were reports that Leverette was at Ole Miss on an unofficial visit for the Vanderbilt game, he said that he didn't attend the game. He did say he might attempt to attend a game as an unofficial visitor later this season and would definitely be interested in taking an official visit if Ole Miss extends an offer to visit.

One thing that caught Leverette's eye was the Rebels' performance against Wake Forest - now ranked No. 16 - with the Rebels losing by a last second field goal.

"They looked good," Leverette said. "One of my former teammates at Auburn (Patrick Trahan) is playing for them, so I'm definitely keeping up with them."

Leverette had 94 solo tackles with 58 assists while leading his team to a 12-1 record at Oak Grove and estimated he had 40-50 tackles last season at Pearl River as a freshman.

While Leverette was a full qualifier out of high school, he will have to graduate from junior college to be able to return to Division I football - unless he returns to Auburn.

He currently has offers from UAB and Southern Miss and said he's receiving interest from several other programs.

Pearl River is off to a 4-0 start.