Commitment breakdown: Ole Miss lands DT Taleeq Robbins
The pandemic has really affected the recruitment of prospects throughout the 2021 class but a case could be made that it has hurt Taleeq Robbins more than most. The defensive tackle out of Philadelphia (Pa.) Imhotep Charter Institute had a top five for a long time but held off on taking on making a commitment because he wanted to take more visits. That is obviously not possible now for the 2021 class and so Robbins was forced to take virtual and self guided visits of his final schools. His decision came down to Ole Miss and Texas A&M while Georgia and a couple other schools remained in the mix. Visits to those SEC schools helped him sort out his decision and come to the conclusion that Ole Miss was the place for him.
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CLASS OF 2021 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State
CLASS OF 2022 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State
COVERAGE: Rivals Transfer Tracker | Rivals Camp Series
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IN HIS OWN WORDS...
"They have a great coaching staff," Robbins said. "With that new coaching staff, there are lot of opportunities there. With a great coach like Lane Kiffin there, I really liked that.
"I liked seeing that there are lot of spots they could use me in their defense," he said. "I was a priority for them. Seeing the campus and stuff like that, it felt like it was gong to be a good environment for me.
"I was talking to coach Deke Adams, coach Marquise Watson, and coach Partridge," said Robbins. "They were always themselves when they were in contact with me. They didn't give off any funny vibes.
WHAT OLE MISS IS GETTING:
Robbins is a versatile interior defensive lineman that can penetrate into the backfield but also hold his ground and stuff the run. His role will largely be determined by how he develops at the college level but he could have success in a variety of roles on the defensive line. As a nose tackle, he has the frame to add more muscle mass and the size to be able to take on double teams which should free up linebackers. Robbins has the quickness to be able to slip into the backfield and disrupt the play. Look for him to become a steady contributor after a year or two on campus.
WHAT IT MEANS FOR THE REBELS:
Ole Miss was in this fight for a long time but it worked out well for the Rebels. Their investment in recruiting Robbins paid off after beating a couple of other SEC recruiting powers. Look for Ole Miss to put a lot of effort into into developing Robbins to fit their defensive scheme. Now with four defensive linemen committed, Ole Miss appears to have solidified the front line in this recruiting class.