When your name is Makylan Pounders and you are a 6-foot-6, 295 offensive lineman in the class of 2021 then the nickname ‘Big Mac’ becomes pretty appropriate.
By Steve Wright
The No. 1034 player in the class per the 247Sports Composite Raking system – the No. 53 OG in the class and the No. 15 player from Mississippi – is an interesting story as he committed to Ole Miss this week, flipping his choice of school from the rival Mississippi State Bulldogs.
The 3-star product out of Byhalia (MS.) was heavily recruited after his decommitment from Mike Leach’s program with the likes of Arkansas, Missouri, and LSU all pitching for him late. Pounder’s choice, however, is to go with Lane Kiffin to Oxford in a move the will certainly rile up the fans in Starkville. It is also a sign of the momentum that Kiffin is building within the Rebels’ program as he was able to flip a long-term commitment from a rival school that brings plenty of upside and potential to the table.
It is that potential that makes Pounder an interesting recruit for Kiffin. Pounder is already a hugely strong individual and he has more than enough athleticism to transfer his high school game to the college field. He is a mauler of a guard, one that is able to pull and get to the next level where he often pancakes smaller players with his punchy and effective blocking style. Pounders will need pass blocking work, but that is true of almost any interior lineman making the step up from Friday nights to Saturday afternoons.
From the tape, it is easy to see why Pounders is a recruit worth the chase. He is both powerful and long, while he has a viciousness to his blocks that can’t be taught. He is one of those players that lives for the trench warfare aspect of football and Ole Miss may have found a gem of an interior lineman in their own state.
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