D.D. Bowie is Ole Miss' top-rated prospect

Not a whole lot went right for Ole Miss on national signing day, but at least the Rebels got D.D.

That's D.D. Bowie, who held on to his longtime Ole Miss commitment and signed with the Rebels — who successfully held off a significant push from rival Mississippi State.

In the end for Bowie, an athlete from Morton, Ole Miss was the school he had always said he would go to, despite the NCAA investigation and the looming sanctions that hurt the recruiting class.

"I’ve been committed to them for like two years," Bowie said. "I know they’re going to get a little in trouble but I just feel like I’m at home there. Coach Hugh Freeze never lied to me, so that's where I choose to be."

Bowie is the highest-ranked recruit in the Rebels’ 2017 class. He has been verbally committed to the school since October 2015, but the Morton star was heavily considering Mississippi State as he got closer to national signing day.

But Ole Miss got the last visit and sealed the deal.

"It meant a lot," Bowie said. "They came to my room, they were chilling with me, they were talking to me and everything. I just felt like they were going to be my best option."

A four-star prospect according to 247Sports Composite, Bowie (who is 6-foot-1 and 170 pounds) could easily join the Rebels’ loaded group of wide receivers. But Bowie said he actually has something else in mind: playing cornerback.

"I got to researching it and corners make a lot of money," Bowie said. "It’s not about how good you is, it’s about if you can cover and stand your ground."

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A member of the Dandy Dozen, The Clarion-Ledger All-State team and Class 3A’s Mr. Football, Bowie finished with 2,239 rushing yards and 34 touchdowns. He passed for 557 yards and three touchdowns and caught 12 passes for 137 yards and two touchdowns. He also played defense.

"He has the opportunity and ability to be what he wants to be," Morton coach Ty Weems said. "He’s a phenomenal athlete, first and foremost. He’s the type of kid that he is extremely athletic. … He’s not done growing. He’s still a young kid."

Bowie went to Mississippi State for an official visit on the weekend of Jan. 20 and visited Ole Miss last weekend. He told The Clarion-Ledger in between those two visits that he knew where he was going.