Ole Miss football gained the commitment of a talented quarterback recruit with a lot of potential. The Rebels are coming off a solid season under head coach Lane Kiffin and were very close to making the College Football Playoff. The SEC program, however, will be going through somewhat of a rebuilding year after losing several key contributors. That includes Dart, the leader under center for the past three years in Oxford, who departs with very large shoes to fill.

A player who could eventually live up to Dart's standard is 2026 quarterback recruit Rees Wise. The Texas native is listed at 6'2, 200 pounds, and is considered a dynamic athlete with high upside. According to On3 National Recruiting / Transfer Portal Reporter Hayes Fawcett, Wise has officially committed to Ole Miss football and offered the following statement on his decision.

“I started off with a list of Top 10 schools, really had no clue about these schools, did some research on all of them and kind of got down to a Top 3, and Ole Miss was on it. Started to fall in love before I even got there. First visit was absolutely amazing. Coach (Alex) Brown moved there while I was making the lis,t and now he’s a coach there. It just became my dream school once I visited.”

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Wise will not be the immediate replacement for Dart as he still has another year in high school. But the 3-star recruit projects well at the next level. Lane Kiffin has a track record of developing young quarterbacks, and he is sure to embrace the challenge of getting the best out of Wise. While this is a major victory for Ole Miss football, the program will now look forward to a season with several uncertainties.

One of the main questions heading into 2025 will be at the quarterback position. The projected starter this coming season is Austin Simmons. A former 4-star recruit, Simmons is a talented pocket passer who has been with Ole Miss football for two seasons.

The Rebels have a reasonable season start before the schedule picks up. Midseason visits to Georgia and Oklahoma loom, along with home games against LSU, Florida, and South Carolina. Overall, Ole Miss football will have plenty of chances to build a playoff-caliber resume. Lane Kiffin's team just has to take these opportunities.