Shea Patterson Commits to Ole Miss

Depending on which recruiting site you read Shea Patterson is one of the highest rated high school prospects in the country, and as of today the Louisiana quarterback is committed to be an Ole Miss Rebel.

This was huge for two reasons.

First, if there's anything Hugh Freeze's heralded 2013 signing class proved it's that elite talent likes to be around other elite talent. Laquon Treadwell, Laremy Tunsil, Robert Nkemdiche and Tony Conner were attracted to the idea of playing together. With Patterson now committed to Ole Miss and expected to enroll in December, Freeze has a Laquon Treadwell type anchor-piece and the key sales pitch to the other elite prospects the Rebels are after for 2016. It just takes one guy to build class momentum, and in Patterson, Freeze now has that momentum. 

With nine players committed, Ole Miss currently has the No. 2 recruiting class in the country according to the 247 composite. 

And then there's Patterson himself. He's only the most elite high school quarterback prospect to commit to Ole Miss since Mr. Eli(te) himself - Eli Manning. Ole Miss hasn't come by an honest to goodness fresh out of high school Top 10 quarterback talent since Manning, and that was many years ago. Since then it's been Schaeffer (transfer), Snead (transfer), Masoli (transfer) and Wallace (transfer) and that doesn't mention the various other quarterback who have played the position.

Patterson is the greatest hope Ole Miss has had at quarterback since Eli Manning.

This was a big day for Ole Miss football. 

Watch and judge for yourself.