Ole Miss Football: Top 3 early targets in 2022 recruiting class

Ole Miss football’s recruiting improved tremendously in the first year of Lane Kiffin and he is hoping to have even more success in 2022.

There’s no question, Lane Kiffin has restored the excitement in Oxford. After some mediocre seasons under Matt Luke, Kiffin was hired and immediately got the most out of his roster.

The Rebels went bowling after finishing the regular season 4-5 and they beat a solid Indiana team to finish the season with a .500 record. Kiffin has to be happy with how the first season played out and he has to be even more excited about the future with the No. 17 recruiting class in the country being signed in 2021.

Luke signed the No. 34 class the year before Kiffin got there, so a 17-spot improvement is quite the head-turner.

Will Kiffin fare even better in the 2022 class?

If Ole Miss wants to reel Shazz Preston in with the 2022 class, it’ll have to beat out in-state rival Mississippi State which has been considered one of the favorites for the four-star from Louisiana.

Being from Louisiana and also being one of the best prospects in the 2022 class, you can already imagine that LSU is right up there in his top schools and the Tigers are. Ed Orgeron will be tough to beat out here, especially since he can sell the “if you want to play in the NFL, come here” pitch for a young wide receiver. Just look at the guys LSU has had over the past few years.

Lane Kiffin, however, is also making a strong push and is high up on his list. He’ll have to battle it out with some big dogs in LSU, Mississippi State and Alabama.

Preston is the No. 67 prospect in the 2022 class and ninth-best receiver, according to the composite. He’ll be a game-changer wherever he goes but Ole Miss could use him immediately.