Braylon Sanders to Ole Miss: Rebels Land 4-Star WR Prospect

Coveted wide receiver recruit Braylon Sanders decided Wednesday he will play college football at Ole Miss.

Kevin Eckleberry of LaGrangeNews.com shared word of Sanders' commitment: 

Sanders is a 4-star prospect who is ranked as the No. 258 overall player in the 2017 class, according to Scout. He also checks in as the No. 34 receiver and the third-best wideout from the state of Georgia.

While the Callaway High School product is listed as a wide receiver and will likely play the slot at the college level, his role can probably be better defined as a playmaker. He also played quarterback in high school and was a key contributor on special teams as well.

He's a terrific athlete with breakaway speed and reliable hands, and he has an outstanding ability to make tacklers miss. So the focus will be getting the ball to him quickly and letting him do the rest.

Eckleberry passed along comments from Callaway offensive coordinator Matt Napier, who believes filling so many different roles helped Sanders become a more complete asset.

"He's football intelligent, because he's had to play different positions," Napier said. "Particularly the quarterback position, they understand what they've got in front of them, and the defenses. It brings an understanding and a knowledge of the game."

One game against Screven County High School back in November showcased exactly why so many notable programs had interest.

Dave Platta of WTVM highlighted Sanders' kickoff return to start the second half:

Frank Sulkowski of WJCL passed along his game-winning touchdown catch:

Again, it's a basic concept: get Sanders the ball in space and watch the magic happen. Now that task becomes more difficult at the collegiate level because the speed of play increases, but there's little doubt he'll carve out a key role for himself over time.

It's a nice pickup for head coach Hugh Freeze and the Rebels. Although it won't be the most hyped signing of the class, Sanders represents the type of addition that can help round out a group of recruits. And Ole Miss' beating out the likes of Georgia and Mississippi State is a bonus.

Playing time within the base offense could be an issue, though. Van Jefferson is coming off a solid freshman campaign working out of the slot, so Sanders doesn't have a direct path to playing time in the immediate future. It could limit him to special teams, gadget plays and four-wide sets for multiple years.