Take Two returns with a daily offering tackling an issue in the college football landscape. Rivals.com National Recruiting Analyst Adam Gorney lays out the situation and then receives takes from Rivals.com National Recruiting Director Mike Farrell and an expert from the Rivals.com network of team sites or a regional analyst.
THE SITUATION
Ole Miss hired Lane Kiffin and that was major news over the last few days. Now Kiffin has to hit the road recruiting and one of the top targets -- if not the No. 1 prospect on the board -- is four-star defensive tackle McKinnley Jackson.
An early commit to LSU who has backed off that pledge, the Lucedale (Miss.) George County standout was considered an Ole Miss lean when Matt Luke was still the coach. The two are from the same area and Luke and Jackson hit it off.
Alabama, LSU and Auburn remain serious contenders for Jackson, ranked as the eighth-best defensive tackle nationally and the top prospect in the state of Mississippi.
There has been a lot of chatter around the Crimson Tide and LSU is not giving up in getting him back in the 2020 recruiting class. Auburn is considered a dark horse as well and the Tigers can never be counted out for elite defensive linemen.
Kiffin has recruited well before. He has a certain cachet with players. Getting Jackson in Ole Miss’ class would be a gigantic first step in Kiffin’s regime and a massive recruiting win.
Can Kiffin get it done?
FIRST TAKE: Chad Simmons, Southeast analyst
“Ole Miss has a chance. Kiffin is going to go hard after him. The connection with Jackson and Luke, they came from the same part of Mississippi and replacing that is going to be tough. A lot of top Mississippi kids stay home.
“It’s such a wild card with what’s going to happen with Jackson in the month of January. Ole Miss has some ground to make up. They were the team to beat with Luke as the head coach. I can’t say they are that anymore, but they have enough time to get back in there and make an impact.”
SECOND TAKE: Mike Farrell, National recruiting director
“Kiffin can land him. He’s an in-state kid who was leaning to Ole Miss even when things weren’t going great with Luke. He wants to stay home. LSU and Alabama were hot on him early, then cooled on him and they’re now hot again.
“Ole Miss has always been there. Kiffin will work some of his magic to get him in this class. Kiffin is a very good recruiter, he’s very shrewd, he recruited well at USC and Alabama and he knows how to land big kids so my pick is that Jackson picks Ole Miss.”