Rebels sign highly touted QB; Bulldogs land top two players in Mississippi

Posted 7:24AM on Thursday 6th February 2003 ( 22 years ago )

JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI - Mississippi has signed the heir apparent to Eli Manning. The Rebels landed one of the nation's top high school quarterbacks Wednesday when Robert Lane of Monroe, La., signed a national letter of intent with Ole Miss. Meanwhile, Mississippi State landed the two most sought after recruits in the Magnolia State for the second year in a row. The 6-foot-3, 220-pound Lane had verbally committed to LSU, but reconsidered when the Tigers decided to go after another hot QB JaMarcus Russell from Mobile, Ala. ``There were plenty of other places where I could go and be the only QB in the class,'' Lane said. Heading into the first day of the national signing period, it was unclear what Lane would do. ``I felt very comfortable with the campus when I was there last weekend,'' he said. ``It kind of feel like I'm at home when I'm there. It just felt right.'' Manning, already Mississippi's career leader in touchdown passes and yards, has put off the NFL to return for his season senior. Sophomore Michael Spurlock is penciled in as Manning's backup next season, but he doesn't have Lane's pedigree. Lane passed for more than 2,200 yards and 28 TDs last season. He combines a strong arm with good mobility. He also ran for more 600 yards and 12 scores. There is one catch for the Rebels. Lane, who went to Neville High School, is a top-notch baseball player who is projected to be an early selection in the Major League Baseball draft. He played third base and hit .512 with 12 home runs as a junior. ``I want to play pro baseball. I want to play college football,'' he said. ``The situation is going to have to be absolutely perfect for me to give up what I got at Ole Miss.'' His signing was the most newsworthy of the day in Mississippi, where things went mostly as expected for Ole Miss, Mississippi State and Southern Mississippi. Quinton Culberson, a defensive back, and Donovan Davis, an offensive lineman, both from Jackson, are the prized jewels of a well-regarded class of 27 for Mississippi State. Both were considered among the best in the country at their positions. Culberson, 6-foot-1, 210 pounds, only recently made his decision, picking the Bulldogs over Mississippi, LSU and Southern Mississippi. He will play cornerback in college and may even get a chance to play wide receiver, his other position at Provine High School. Davis is a 6-7, 325-pound tackle from Callaway High School. Last season, Mississippi State signed defensive back Darren Williams from Clarksdale and running back Jerious Norwood from Brandon. Williams became a starter and Norwood was one of the Bulldogs' most effective runners, despite being limited by injuries. Mississippi State also signed this year's top in-state quarterback prospect Omarr Conner from Noxubee County High School in Macon. The Bulldogs' class was ranked in the top 20 nationally by most of the major recruiting services and gurus for the second straight season, despite major changes in coach Jackie Sherrill's staff and a second straight three-win season. ``The biggest thing about the recruiting this class was the coaching staff and the coaches that we added,'' Sherrill said. ``They worked very hard.'' Ole Miss signed 22 players Wednesday in addition to one early junior college signee. ``I believe we've helped ourselves on both sides of the ball,'' Ole Miss coach David Cutcliffe said Wednesday. ``I know there's not a kicker or punter involved, but we've helped our football team immediately. Cutcliffe said many of the signees ``no doubt will have an impact on next year's team and I'm excited about this.'' The top in-state players to sign with the Rebels were defensive back Trumaine McBride and offensive lineman Marcus Cohen from Clarksdale, and Moss Point linebacker Marquis McBeath. Southern Miss, meanwhile, signed 20 players. ``We signed a little bit of everything,'' Southern Miss coach Jeff Bowers said. ``Every position is going to be represented in this signing class. You always have some athletes who typically could play anywhere.'' Southern Miss signed Jackson Provine quarterback Jeremy Young, who picked the Golden Eagles over Ole Miss and Mississippi State. Young, a 6-4, 200-pounder, accounted for 1,200 yards and 18 touchdowns last season. Southern Miss landed another athletic quarterback in 6-3, 185-pound Damion Carter from Isadore Newman High School in New Orleans, the same high school that produced Eli and Peyton Manning. Brandon's Ken Griffith originally committed to Mississippi State, but the 6-3, 245-pound linebacker changed his mind a few weeks ago and became a Golden Eagle. The player with the chance of making the most immediate impact for the Golden Eagles might be a kicker from the Mississippi Gulf Coast. D'Iberville kicker Darren McCaleb was rated the best in the state.

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