STARKVILLE — Willie Gay has been recruited by some of the best programs in the country.
During that process, he had a chance to see how those schools treated their student-athletes. The things he saw helped him make a verbal commitment to the Ole Miss football program in June, months before National Signing Day in February.
“They didn’t say anything. It’s just actions,” Gay said. “They treated me well when I went up there. I felt like I was already on the team by the players. I felt at home up there.”
The Starkville High School senior linebacker has many other suitors, including Mississippi State and Alabama, but he is happy with his commitment. A laid back young man with a big smile, Gay’s smile gets even bigger when he talks about his future at Ole Miss. Although Gay has a connection to Ole Miss through former high school teammate A.J. Brown, Gay said Brown didn’t try to persuade him to go to Ole Miss. Instead, Brown, who was a member of Starkville High’s 2015 Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 6A State championship team, gave him some sound advice.
“A.J. really didn’t say nothing about it,” Gay said. “He said, ‘Go where you want to. Go where you feel like you’re at home.’ He never really said, ‘Come to Ole Miss. We want you at Ole Miss.’ ”
Gay had 84 tackles (17 for loss), six sacks, two forced fumbles, four interceptions, and 10 pass breakups as a junior. His breakout season in 2015 helped him earn an invitation to the United States Army All-American Bowl on Saturday, Jan. 7, 2017, in San Antonio. The 6-foot-2, 217-pound Gay is a four-star prospect according to 247Sports. He is the nation’s No. 124 prospect, the No. 9 outside linebacker, and the No. 3 player in the state of Mississippi by the 247Sports Composite.
Starkville football coach Ricky Woods has seen Gay progress since the middle of last season. He expects big things from Gay this season.
“He’ll sign well and wherever he goes, they’ll get a good football player,” Woods said.
Gay said he is motivated to be the nation’s best linebacker and wants his senior year to be remembered for a long time. He hopes to use this season to put himself in position to earn playing time as a freshman at Ole Miss, which is one reason he chose Ole Miss.
“I’m really aiming to be a true freshman All-American,” Gay said. “At Ole Miss I think I can do that.”
Although Gay is committed to Ole Miss, he said his recruitment hasn’t ended. He declined to go into detail about what that means, but he wants to hear other schools out. Ole Miss is under an NCAA investigation, but Gay didn’t talk about how that will affect his recruitment. However, he feels other schools have some of the same opportunities as Ole Miss.
“I’m still keeping my eyes open for schools like Mississippi State, Michigan, Florida State, and Florida,” Gay said. “I just feel like there are opportunities at those schools as well just like Ole Miss.”
Gay also has a former teammate at MSU. Defensive lineman Kobe Jones signed with MSU in February, and they talk every day. Gay attended MSU’s Big Dawg Camp two weekends ago.
Close with his teammates and coaches now, Gay wants that with his college team. He feels like he has found that in Ole Miss.
“When they really want someone, they’ll let you know,” Gay said. “They treat you as if you are already on the team.”
Follow Dispatch sports writer Ben Wait on Twitter @bcwait
Ben Wait reports on Mississippi State University sports for The Dispatch.
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