How Hugh Freeze Convinced Malachi Dupre to Play for Ole Miss

You've probably heard by now that Malachi Dupre, one of the top wide receivers in the country, was in Oxford last night, dining at the Oxford Grillehouse with Hugh Freeze and Laquon Treadwell. Dupre is a 5-star receiver from Louisiana's John Curtis High School and  is the 2014 signing class' version of Laquon Treadwell. On signing day, Dupre can pretty much pick his school. LSU, Alabama and BCS Champion Florida State all want him. It's going to take one heck of a sales pitch from Hugh Freeze to convince Dupre to play for Ole Miss, but there's definitely a solid pitch to be made, and it's actually fairly convincing.

Here are five things I suspect Freeze and Treadwell told Dupre:

1. "You'll play immediately."

Most schools say that, but Ole Miss proved it in 2013. Every elite freshman who signed with the Rebels did, including Treadwell. The Ole Miss marketing department routinely made posters touting this fact, and the assistant coaches routinely Tweeted it. If Ole Miss tells you you'll play as a freshman, then you will play as a freshman. For proof, just ask Treadwell, Tony Conner, Robert Nkemdiche, Laremy Tunsil, Austin Golson, Evan Engram and Quincy Adeboyejo.

2. "You can be the next Treadwell."

Laquon Treadwell led Ole Miss in receptions (72) and was named the SEC Freshman of the Year after shattering the Ole Miss freshman regular season record for receptions (67), receiving yards (557) and touchdown catches (5) in a season. He led all SEC freshmen in catches, receiving yards and touchdown receptions, while ranking 4th among freshmen nationally in receptions per game. The same type of year could happen for Dupre.

3. "There's plenty of room at Ole Miss for two elite wide receivers."

It's true. Freeze calls the plays and Freeze likes to pass. Ja-Mes Logan and Donte Moncrief are gone, and that's 103 receptions that just disappeared off the stat sheet. Somebody will have to catch those passes. Might as well be Dupre.

4. "You'll have an experienced quarterback throwing you the ball."

Bo Wallace is returning for his senior season. Wallace has a chance to be one of the best quarterbacks in the conference next year in his 3rd year running Freeze's offense. If his level of improvement from year two to year three is anything like his improvement from year one to year two then Wallace should have an outstanding senior season. I actually expect this to be the case. Wallace will be distributing the football to receivers with regularity in 2014, and Dupre could be on the receiving end of a lot of those passes. Meanwhile, LSU and Alabama will be breaking in new quarterbacks. Odds are a true freshman wide receiver will have more opportunities to catch passes from Wallace than either quarterback LSU and Alabama field in 2014. Do you think Nick Saban is going to turn a new quarterback loose? Doubtful.

5. "You'll receive as much national exposure here as any other school."

It's true. Ole Miss played on an ESPN network channel eight times this season, and in the spotlight in each and every one of those games was a true freshman. Treadwell, Laremy Tunsil, Tony Conner and Robert Nkemdiche had their names mentioned on the national stage just as much playing at Ole Miss in 2013 as they would have anywhere else - maybe more. That same spotlight will shine on Dupre if he's a Rebel in 2014. The Rebels will open 2014 on national television when they take on Boise State in the Chick-fil-A KickOff Game. He'll have the chance to shine immediately.

Laquon Treadwell will then verify this by showing Dupre how he made the SportsCenter Top 10 in the game against Troy. If you can make the SportsCenter Top 10 in a game against Troy, then exposure is not an issue.