4-star QB John Rhys Plumlee flips from Georgia, picks Ole Miss over Florida State

FLIPMAS IS HERE!

Despite a verbal commitment that lasted seven months, Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs as well as Florida State and Mississippi State weren’t able to stave off Matt Luke and his staff as they were able to convince the four-star athlete to join their 2019 class.

Four-star dual-threat quarterback John Rhys Plumlee flipped his commitment from Georgia to Ole Miss and will sign with the Rebels on Wednesday, adding another dynamic athlete to Rich Rodriguez’s quarterback room.

Chad Simmons from Rivals.com spoke with Plumlee after his announcement and he said it came down to the Rebs and the Noles.

“It is Ole Miss. I went into today considering all the schools on my list, but in the last hour and a half, I got it down to Ole Miss and Florida State before choosing Ole Miss ,” said Plumlee.

Despite his commitment to Georgia, he officially visited the SEC West Bulldogs, the Rebels, and Florida State before deciding on Monday evening that he would be playing baseball and football in Oxford.

“I just went with my heart. It is so tough because there are so many factors to these kind of decisions, but I went where I felt my heart was. At Ole Miss, I feel like I can enjoy school. With or without football and baseball, I feel I can be happy there.

”That is really what it came down to for me. I have told the Ole Miss football and baseball coaches and I am committed to Ole Miss.”

Plumlee, who wasn’t on the Ole Miss radar for most of the recruiting cycle because of his early commitment to the Bulldogs, capped off a fantastic senior season one win short of the overall goal, losing to Horn Lake in the 6A title game. But, it wasn’t for a lack of trying on John Rhys’ part. The Warriors finished with a 12-3 record, a 6A South title, and runner-up finish on the shoulders of his outstanding senior season.

The senior did it all. Literally. He tossed it for 2,834 yards and 33 touchdowns while also scooting around for 1,444 yards and 19 touchdowns. The dual-threat star was smart with the football (just three interceptions) and was a threat to the defense through the air and on the ground, averaging 8.9 yards per rush and going over 100 yards rushing nine times.

He also is a star on the diamond, hitting .455 as a junior, driving in 35 runs, smacking 13 doubles, and stealing 23 bases. The Perfect Game All-American and East Coast Pro select player is a stud who would be welcomed to Mike Bianco’s roster with his elite speed and reliable bat at the plate.

Plumlee chose the Rebels over notable offers from Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Mississippi State, Nebraska, North Carolina, Notre Dame, and Virginia among others. It is unclear on which position he will play at Ole Miss but his skill set lends him to several options once he arrives.

How does he fit in?

Speed. And lots of it.

The 6’1, 185-pound dynamo is a legit 4.4 runner and when you put the tape on, you see it. And he is a tremendous athlete that will lend Rodriguez plenty of options once he gets the red and blue on. He could make a difference as a quarterback in certain spots, a slot receiver, a defensive back, or in the special teams game.

Needless to say, whatever he does, it’s going to be explosive and exciting.

He can take it 80-yards in the blink of an eye yet he isn’t too quick to take off running when the play breaks down. He is impressively savvy in the pocket and operates just as well outside of it. He keeps his eyes downfield and is accurate when on the run. In the run game, he hits the hole hard when running the zone read and is a handful when in the open field. He is incredibly shifty and is a lot stronger than you would assume.

As we mentioned above, we are not sure what the Rebels are recruiting him as but whatever he does he will be exciting. This is certainly one of those “we don’t know what we’re gonna do with him but we’re glad we got him” type of pickups.

As a quarterback, he’s got some Baker Mayfield in him. He moves in and out of the pocket but keeps his eyes downfield and can deliver the ball on time and on target. He is also a physical runner and has got some swagger to him. As a defensive back, he reminds me a bit of Chargers defensive back Desmond King. Always in the right spot, quick to fly up in run support, and always seems to come up with the football when a turnover is forced. And as a receiver, his skill set reminds me of current Steelers’ wideout Ryan Switzer. I could easily see John Rhys being a smart and precise route runner with a knack for making the tough catch in traffic while also being a weapon in the return game.

He is a tough kid who almost certainly won’t have a problem doing whatever he can to get on the field to help the Rebels and he will definitely help them in multiple areas with elite speed, quickness, and intangibles.

You can always use elite speed on the field at every position and Plumlee brings that a plenty.

And it’s always nice to steal one from Georgia.

Highlights