Drew Richmond Decommits from Ole Miss: What's Next for Rebels, 4-Star OT?

The rumors about 4-star offensive tackle Drew Richmond had been out on social media for several days. He was believed to be a soft Ole Miss commit looking to explore other options—more specifically, Tennessee.

The rumors became reality on Monday evening, as Richmond officially decommitted from the Rebels, according to David Johnson of 247Sports. Richmond was Ole Miss' top-rated offensive tackle and had been committed to the Rebels since early September.

With national signing day happening on Wednesday, Richmond once again is a free agent. At least for a few hours. 

It would be considered something of an shocker if Richmond, the nation's No. 3-ranked offensive tackle, didn't end up signing with Tennessee. Per Johnson, Richmond is expected to sign his letter of intent with the Volunteers at his high school, Memphis University School, on Wednesday morning.

Richmond took his official visit to Tennessee over the weekend, took in a basketball game, met with head coach Butch Jones and the other coaches, reconnected with players and hung out with recruits.

Richmond's made the trip from Memphis to Knoxville several times on his own dime, so the experience wasn't new to him.

What he did leave with, however, was unexpected love from the Volunteers fans. At the Tennessee-Auburn basketball game, fans were on hand chanting his name.

The loss is huge for Ole Miss, as he was expected to form a talented duo with 4-star offensive guard Javon Patterson.

It's even more of a big deal because of the timing of it all. Head coach Hugh Freeze and his staff now have roughly 24 hours before commits become signees—and the number of available elite offensive linemen around the country is slim.

At 6'5" and 310 pounds, Richmond is the kind of prospect that most offensive line coaches love to mold. He has great size already, but look for the school of his choice to add bulk to his frame.

Richmond is a solid run-blocker, someone who likes to block until the whistle is blown. Additionally, his length can make him a problem for many defensive ends in pass coverage.

Freeze and his coaching staff, however, still have solid commitments from 3-star tackles Alex Givens and Michael Howard in addition to Patterson, so the Rebels aren't bare in the cupboard when it comes to talent up front.

Look for Ole Miss to try and close on other positions from now until Wednesday. Landing athletes such as 5-star defensive end CeCe Jefferson, 4-star wide receiver Damarkus Lodge or 3-star cornerback Jalen Julius would cushion the blow of losing Richmond.

As for Richmond, look for him to be a college signee by 10:15 a.m. ET on Wednesday—most likely wearing the color of UT Orange.

Damon Sayles is a National Recruiting Analyst for Bleacher Report. All recruiting information courtesy of 247Sports. Follow Damon on Twitter @DamonSayles