OXFORD, Miss. – Every coaching staff in the country says it wants to own its home state. Few have the receipts. Pete Golding is collecting them early.
Matthew Fletcher, a 6-foot-3, 190-pound receiver from Clinton High School, is the newest commitment in Ole Miss’ 2029 class. The three-star sophomore ranks 251st nationally, 28th among receivers and eighth in the state of Mississippi. The ranking is a first draft. The player is more interesting than the number.
The board, and who lost it
Fletcher joins Forrest County Agricultural’s Jordan Husband as the second in-state pledge in the Rebels’ 2029 class. It’s a small class with a clear message: the best of Mississippi has a reason to stay home.
Fletcher had plenty of other options. LSU, Mississippi State, Tennessee, Florida, Florida State, Oklahoma State and Jackson State were all on his offer list, among others. That’s two SEC border rivals, two more SEC programs, a national brand in Tallahassee, a Big 12 program and the in-state HBCU power. Golding’s staff beat that field with two full recruiting cycles still to run, and a win like that tends to echo through a state’s recruiting circles.
The Quick Scout
Start with the body: Fletcher has long levers and wide shoulders, a frame that looks built to carry far more weight than the 190 pounds he’s playing at now. Nothing about the way he’s put together suggests he’ll struggle to add mass, which is the best news a developing outside receiver can get…