2016 Defensive Tackle Benito Jones Decommits from Alabama, Commits to Ole Miss

In what has become a bit of a hallmark of Hugh Freeze's tenure as a head coach and recruiter, his staff has flipped a recruit from one SEC school to another by earning a commitment from defensive tackle Benito Jones of Wayne County, Mississippi. Jones was previously committed to Alabama, but decommited before taking an official visit to Ole Miss. Now, 247Sports is reporting, he's pledging his football loyalties to the Rebs.

Family member has confirmed that Wayne Co. DT @jones_benito Benito Jones has flipped to Ole Miss from Alabama today. #OleMiss #HottyToddy

— Rebels247 (@Rebels247) August 17, 2014

Obviously none of this is binding, and it's all subject to change, but if Coach Freeze and his staff can keep Jones on board he will bolster what is shaping up to be an excellent 2016 recruiting class. Jones is ranked as one of the top prospects in Mississippi, and a top-10 defensive tackle prospect nationally. Just a junior, he is listed at 6'2", 260 pounds.

His pledge marks the fifth commitment for 2016, a class which is ranked as high as No. 3 nationally, even though such rankings are laughably premature in the fall of 2014. Still, it is important to note that the staff is putting together a solid foundation of recruits - all of which are from Mississippi at this point - to form what could be another elite class.