3-star RB KyJuan Herndon commits to Ole Miss over Virginia Tech

After receiving a commitment from Austin Keys, the Rebels kept it going on Sunday. This time it was on the offensive end as three-star running back Kyjuan Herndon chose to verbally commit as well, joining Ole Miss’ 2020 class.

The 5’9, 175-pound running back from Jacksonville, Fla. chose the Rebels over notable offers from Cincinnati, Colorado State, Duke, Florida Atlantic, Purdue, Troy, UAB, USF, and Virginia Tech. The nation’s No. 110 athlete had a fantastic junior year for Sandalwood High School, running for 1,553 yards and 19 touchdowns. For a 5’9 dude that is under 180-pounds, these are impressive stats for a guy competing in 8A Florida football.

The third commit in this year’s cycle is a dynamic athlete and should be a welcomed addition to new offensive coordinator Rich Rodriguez’s offense.

He, too, spoke with the Ole Miss Spirit’s David Johnson about his decision.

“I talked to Coach (Matt) Luke on my visit to Ole Miss, and it was a great conversation,” Herndon told the Ole Miss Spirit. “He’s been there at Ole Miss for a while, and he’s a player’s coach. He’s a good coach that’s able to teach the players, but he also has a bond with the players. I feel like I already have that bond with Coach Luke. That’s why I’m committing to Ole Miss.

”I talked to all the coaches Saturday...Coach Rich Rod, Coach (Jacob) Peeler, Coach (Derrick) Nix, Coach (Calvin) Magee...I talked to all of them, and I liked all of them. Unlike some of the other schools recruiting me, the Ole Miss coaches talk to me the most. I just felt like they showed me the most interest, and I really liked Ole Miss the most.”

He also watched film with Rodriguez and talked with him about where he thinks he can fit in his new offense in Oxford.

“Being able to watch the film with Coach Rich Rod was great. He sat there and showed me ways I could help with the offense in the slot, as a running back and all the diverse plays. I really liked the way he took me and went through the plays. He showed me different ways to run routes and how to run through holes. I learned a lot and that helped show me Ole Miss was the right place for me.”

Herndon is teammates with two other Rebel targets in 2020. Three-star cornerback Jahquez Robinson, an Alabama commit, and three-star offensive tackle Kobe Baynes.

How does he fit in?

When taking a look at Herndon’s film, the first word that jumps into my head is "explosive". The junior makes it look easy when hitting the hole between the tackles, taking a zone read hand off, going off tackle, or catching an end around toss. He was a key cog in Sandalwood’s 7-3 regular season with his nifty runs and surprising strength when fighting off linebackers at the second level.

He is an extremely gifted, quick-twitch athlete who should excel in the new offense with his skill set and his vision in the open field.

Highlights