Bryce Mathews to Ole Miss: Rebels Land 4-Star OL Prospect

Ole Miss picked up another key piece for its 2016 recruiting class Friday in the form of Bryce Mathews. The highly touted offensive lineman should make an impact for the Rebels early in his collegiate career.  

Mathews confirmed his college choice on social media. He explained what led him to Mississippi in an interview with Barton Simmons of 247Sports: "I decided I'm going with Ole Miss. The first time I went there I was really drawn by what the coaches were saying. I felt a great connection with the coaches. I loved the town. It's a great town with the square. I felt like a lot of signs were pointing me there."

The 6'5 ½'' tackle is a 4-star prospect who rates inside the top 250 for the 2016 class, according to 247Sports' composite rankings. He also checks in as the No. 3 player coming out of the state of Tennessee next year.

Along with his ideal frame, Mathews has displayed impressive athleticism and fluid movement, two crucial elements for the all-important left tackle position. He's also quite polished for a player with another year of high school ball to play.

One thing he'll need to work on over the next year is adding more power. He's currently listed at 280 pounds, which is a bit light, but there's plenty of room for more weight on his frame. The key is not sacrificing his quickness in the process.

All told, the upside is intriguing, but there's plenty of work left to do before he reaches his potential. Like many talented tackles, he'll probably start on the right side once he proves he's ready to join the starting lineup before shifting to the left side as an upperclassman.

If he continues to develop as expected, he'll be a major piece of the Rebels' success within a few years.