Ole Miss recruiting: Rebs offer 4-star QB Artur Sitkowski

Shea Patterson and Jason Pellerin will be waiting in the wings after Chad Kelly departs Oxford next season and Ole Miss already has a commitment from 2017 three-star Alex Faniel, but that doesn’t mean the Rebel coaches aren’t looking to add more arms. So Hugh Freeze and Co. have offered 2018 four-star Artur Sitkowski.

The Old Bridge, N.J. native isn’t located in one of the Rebs’ typical crootin areas but with the success of Kelly (who’s from Buffalo, N.Y.), coach Dan Werner might have gained confidence with his ability to swipe another signal caller from the Northeast. The 6’4, 215-pound is the No. 4 pro-style quarterback in the country and the No. 54 player in the 2018 class according to 247Sports.

Sitkowski already has offers from Florida, Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State, Miami, North Carolina, South Carolina and Wisconsin, among others. For now, his 247 Crystal Ball favors the Gators (60 percent), but it’s a long way until National Signing Day 2018.

Here’s Sitkowski’s tape:

A top-100 hoops croot committed to Ole Miss.

Four-star guard Devontae Shuler pledged to Rebel basketball on Monday night. The No. 24 shooting guard in the country and Oak Hill Academy star had been thought to be a South Carolina lean since he hails from Irmo, but Andy Kennedy and assitant coach Tony Madlock stayed vigilante in their pursuit of Shuler. Read our full writeup about him here.

Willie Gay was named a U.S. Army All-American.

Gay, a four-star outside linebacker, was presented with his U.S. Army All-American Bowl jersey this past week. He’ll compete in the elite all-star game in San Antonio alongside fellow Rebel commit D.D. Bowie and top target Cam Akers.

Through seven games, Willie has piled up 55 tackles, six tackles for a loss, one sack, an interception and one forced fumble for Starkville High. The nation’s No. 9 outside linebacker has been pledged to Ole Miss since June, but Freeze will have to fend off Florida, Michigan and Mississippi State. Maybe Hugh’s A-list movie star status will help.

Gay isn’t the only linebacker commit bringing in all-star game selections.

Down in Louisiana, three-star Josh Clarke was invited to the Offense-Defense All-American Bowl in Atlanta at the end of the year.

Clarke has been a monster this season despite Riverdale High School’s struggles, totaling 40 tackles, three sacks, an interception and three forced fumbles through six games. The 6’3, 225-pound future Landshark has been active on the recruiting trail for Ole Miss, but LSU is lurking in the weeds and could try to swipe him away late.

Ole Miss coaches hit the crootin trail during the bye week.

"It's not really a break for coaches,” Freeze said when asked about the bye week on Monday. “I was on the road three days recruiting.”

And Hugh wasted no time going to scope out two of their biggest targets.

The two five-stars from Houston, Tex. are wanted by just about everyone. Wilson is likely deciding between LSU or Texas and is more of a pipe dream at this point, but Freeze is still hoping to beat out Stanford for Little. He has two siblings that attend Ole Miss, which is keeping the Rebels in the game.

Co-offensive coordinator Dan Werner also hit the road, trekking down the coast to watch LSU quarterback commit Myles Brennan alongside DA COACH O.

The three-star gun slinger from St. Stanislaus High School has been committed to the Tigers since April, but the coaching uncertainty in Baton Rouge could give Ole Miss an opening. For what it’s worth, his 247 Crystal Ball now favors the Rebs.