Schools to Watch After 4-Star Willie Gay Decommitted from Ole Miss

Ole Miss suffered a huge blow to its 2017 recruiting class when 4-star linebacker Willie Gay announced he was backing off an early pledge to the Rebels.

The 6'1 ½", 215-pounder from Starkville High School in Mississippi had been committed to the Rebels since June.

"

pic.twitter.com/NLE5cqbN6N

— Willie3 (@WillieYRN) October 24, 2016"

Gay, who rates as the nation's No. 6 outside linebacker and the No. 88 player overall in the 2017 cycle, recorded 84 tackles—including 17 tackles for loss with nine pass breakups and six sacks, per MaxPreps—as a junior.

Despite his decommitment, the Rebels figure to still be in the mix to regain his pledge in the future. But, now that he's back on the open market, which schools represent his primary suitors moving forward?

Let's take a look at a few schools that will make a strong push to land Gay in the final months before national signing day.

Florida

According to Scout's Chad Simmons, fellow SEC members Florida and Mississippi State join Ole Miss in getting three of his remaining four official visits.

The Gators' 2017 class has 14 commitments, including a pair of 3-star linebackers in James Houston and Ventrell Miller.

However, both Houston and Miller are listed as inside linebackers.

Gay would provide a nice complement to them on the outside should he elect to join the Gators class.

Florida State

"

#GoNoles pic.twitter.com/E4dZu5Mk9P

— Willie3 (@WillieYRN) September 29, 2016"

Fresh off the news of his decommitment, Gay's first trip will be to see ACC power Florida State this weekend.

The Seminoles' showdown in prime time against Clemson figures to be one of the marquee matchups of the weekend.

As Josh Newberg of Noles247 detailed, linebacker represents one of the primary needs that head coach Jimbo Fisher and his staff would like to address before national signing day.

This weekend's visit is critical for the Seminoles if they hope to land one of the nation's premier defenders in the end.

Michigan

Last weekend, Gay made the long trek to Ann Arbor to take his first official visit to see Big Ten power Michigan.

As Will Sammon of the Clarion-Ledger reported, the visit couldn't have gone any better.

"I fell in love," Gay told Sammon.

Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh has developed a strong bond with Gay, as Sammon detailed.

While distance is working against the Wolverines, his relationship with Harbaugh and their strong play defensively this season are two factors that could help them win Gay's commitment.

Mississippi State

"

#HailState pic.twitter.com/3XfLnmtP1s

— Willie3 (@WillieYRN) September 27, 2016"

While Michigan represents the school farthest away from Gay's hometown, Mississippi State will fight to keep Gay from escaping the city limits of Starkville.

The Bulldogs will host Gay for an official visit on Nov. 5 when they host Texas A&M.

According to Ourlads, the Bulldogs are starting two seniors among their three linebacker spots this fall—which could provide Gay with an opportunity to find the field early if he elects to stay home for college.

Additionally, the Bulldogs only feature one linebacker pledge among their 21 commitments in the 2017 cycle.

With those factors in mind, the Bulldogs are a serious contender to keep one of the Magnolia State's top overall prospects from leaving the state.

Sanjay Kirpalani is a National Recruiting Analyst for Bleacher Report. Unless otherwise noted, all quotes obtained firsthand, and all recruiting information courtesy of Scout.com.