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US Army All American Bowl 2016: Ole Miss recruits to keep an eye on this week

Rebel commits Shea Patterson and D.K. Metcalf are joined by two elite defensive targets to prep for Saturday's all-star game in San Antonio.

Student Sports

With the Under Armour All-America Game over, we turn our attention to the next big all-star event. Two Ole Miss commits and two targets reported to San Antonio, Tex. this week for the US Army All-American Bowl practices, which will conclude with the big game in the Alamodome on Saturday at noon CT on NBC.

This will be a great opportunity to see the crown jewel of Ole Miss' top-ranked class, five-star QB Shea Patterson, show his stuff. His fellow commit, four-star wideout DeKaylin Metcalf, will also be in attendance and will be looking to embarrass every defensive back there. You can bet that both of those guys will be hardcore recruiting a pair of blue-chip defensive talents that are considering the Rebs: linebacker Mique Juarez and D-lineman Jeffery Simmons. The likelihood that Hugh Freeze and Co. will sign that duo is looking better with each passing day, and spending a week with Shea and D.K. could be enough to sway them.

Here's a quick primer on each guy:

5-star QB Shea Patterson (committed)

We all know about Mr. Patterson. The record-setting quarterback from IMG Academy has been the figurehead of the 2016 class and will be looking to recruit some more targets to join him in Oxford. The 6'2, 195-pounder will look to show off his play-making ability with his feet and his arm and has a chance to bump himself up to the country's No. 1 overall prospect with a big week in San Antonio.

4-star WR DeKaylin Metcalf (committed)

The all-state receiver from Oxford has been committed to the Rebels for some time now. After some flirtation with Alabama and Auburn, he shut down his recruitment and is all Rebel. After taking home co-MVP honors at the MS-AL All-Star Game last month, Metcalf could make a case for a fifth star with a big day in the Army Bowl. Optimus Metcalf, as the 6'4, 205-pounder is known, has the size to shield defenders away from the ball and the power to brush aside would-be tacklers in the open field.

5-star LB Mique Juarez

The Rebels got big news on Monday when the blue chipper from Torrance, Calif. announced Ole Miss and home-state UCLA as his top two schools. Juarez has already visited Oxford and it seems to have gone pretty well.

"Ole Miss is great, the SEC, they produce linebackers out there," he told Rivals. "I just felt comfortable out there, getting that type of head start with them."

Ole Miss has a major need at linebacker and the 6'2, 231-pounder's athleticism and versatility could make him a perfect fit in Dave Wommack's 4-2-5 defense. Juarez, who played quarterback, wide receiver and linebacker in high school, excels in pass coverage but has the size and strength to fill running lanes. It will be tough for the Rebs to snag a Cali guy away from UCLA, but the fact that they've made it this far is encouraging.

4-star DL Jeffery Simmons

Metcalf's roommate is none other than Simmons, the No. 1 prospect in the state of Mississippi. Simmons will be in Oxford for Crootapalooza on the weekend of Jan. 30th but is also scheduled to visit Mississippi State, Alabama and Tennessee. 247's Crystal Ball has State in the lead at 44 percent (Ole Miss is next at 33 percent) so it's certainly not a bad thing that he'll spend the week with Metcalf in his ear about the Rebs. The 6'4, 277-pound Simmons used his ridiculously quick first step and tremendous strength to first carry Noxubee County to the 4A state championship, then wreak havoc in the Mississippi-Alabama All-Star Game.

Here he is talking about the week: