Stinson joins 'party in the sip', choosing Ole Miss over Florida

Opelika (Ala.) athlete Jarell Stinson was very thorough with his recruitment process after decommitting from Auburn earlier this year. He took visits to Gainesville and Orlando and fielded interest from Florida State, Nebraska, Penn State and Tennessee.

But, it was Ole Miss which caught his eye in July and ended up earning a verbal commitment from him on Wednesday. The three-star, two-way player chose the Rebels over the aforementioned programs as well as Duke, Kentucky, Mississippi State and Vanderbilt.

Ole Miss assistants Terrell Buckley, Derrick Nix and Chris Partridge all recruited the state’s 20th-ranked prospect. And with Stinson being the defending Class 6A outdoor 100-meter (10.52), 200-meter (21.22) and 400-meter (47.74) champion, he allows the Rebels to be awfully flexible with where they use him once he arrives on campus.

As a junior, Stinson made 95 tackles and one interception while also returning nine punts for 126 yards and two touchdowns. He was later named to the 2020 6A All-State team.

ANALYSIS: The 5-foot-10, 175-pound athlete is a big play waiting to happen. He is extremely physical on defense despite having a smaller frame. He frequently makes plays close to the line of scrimmage utilizing his quickness. In pass coverage, he has tremendous ball skills and leaping ability that helps him when he is on an island or when coming off his man to break on a football that is up for grabs over the middle.

Offensively, the track speed allows him to do a lot of things that others can’t, whether that is in the passing game, catching footballs in space and making people miss or being a reliable possession receiver in the slot.

Stinson’s athleticism and playmaking ability will be a welcomed addition to the Rebels’ 2022 class, one that now has four "athletes" in the commit column. Wherever the newest commit plays, his skill set will be a key cog in helping Ole Miss continue to build quality depth to compete for championships in the SEC.