Not only has there been plenty of shakeup in the Ole Miss running back room this offseason to improve the rushing attack, but Kiffin has been recruiting the class of 2026 heavily. He already landed a commitment from three-star back Ja’Michael Jones, and on Sunday, he got a verbal commitment from four-star Damarius Yates.
Yates is a 5-foot-10, 180-pound running back from Kemper County High School in De Kalb, Mississippi. He had an offer from just about every major program in the country, but Kiffin was able to land him despite Alabama, Auburn, Mississippi State and Ohio State being hot on his tail.
According to On3 Sports, Yates could be worth up to $111,000 in NIL money. Based on his track record, he could be very well worth this investment, as he provides a long-term solution to the Rebels’ running back issues.
Over the last five years, Ole Miss head football coach Lane Kiffin has developed a reputation for being one of the best recruiters through the NCAA transfer portal. It was not until recently, however, that he became adept at grabbing players on the high school recruiting trail as well.
The Rebels lost star running back Quinshon Judkins last offseason to Ohio State, and the team was left with Henry Parrish Jr. and Doo Bentley IV in the backfield. This was not enough to get the job done, and Ole Miss struggled with being one-dimensional last season, especially when Parrish went down with an injury. According to On3 Sports, Yates could be worth up to $111,000 in NIL money. Based on his track record, he could be very well worth this investment, as he provides a long-term solution to the Rebels’ running back issues
