Hugh Freeze likes to tweet photos of himself hauling in a big bass for every commitment his Ole Miss football program receives.

Shea Patterson

Perhaps, Tuesday, he should have had a bigger fish pic at the ready, because the Rebels landed a whale.

Shea Patterson, a 247Sports Composite 5-star quarterback out of Calvary Baptist Academy in Shreveport, La., announced he would play his college football for Freeze and Ole Miss on Tuesday at a press conference at his high school. Patterson is rated as the nation’s No. 3 pro-style quarterback by the 247Sports Composite and the state of Louisiana’s No. 2 prospect regardless of position in the 2016 class.

Patterson spoke briefly at the podium before announcing his decision to an eruption of cheers. He simply donned a white and red Ole Miss hat as he quickly, without hesitation, announced his decision.

"Id' like to thank everybody that's been with me throughout this process," Patterson said in his opening comments. "My coaches, my teammates, my family, my mom and down, the media and most importantly God. Without you guys this wouldn't be possible. There are also a number of people who couldn't make it today who played a big role in where I am today. I'd like to thank them, as well."

He chose Ole Miss over offers from LSU, USC, Notre Dame, Texas A&M, Texas, Alabama and host of other top-tier major college programs.

Patterson has led Calvary Baptist to back-to-back state championships. Last season, as a junior. He completed 129-of-199 passes for 2,428 yards, 38 touchdowns and just three interceptions. Most of his production came in the first and second quarters, as Calvary was usually comfortably ahead by halftime and Patterson would be pulled from the game.

He then wasted no time in getting down to the business at hand.

"After months of thoughtful consideration, I'm eager to announce the school I will be attending and i will be recruited from and I will be playing football for in 2016," he said, before reaching behind him to garb an Ole Miss hat he then put on his head.

"And that school is the university of Mississippi."

As a sophomore, he completed 138-of-223 passes for 2.655 yards, 34 touchdowns and four interceptions.

All told, in his last two seasons of varsity football, Patterson has thrown 72 touchdowns to seven interceptions.

Patterson is an early enrollee and plans to be on the Ole Miss campus in January. he was recruited to Ole Miss by co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Dan Werner, who identified Patterson as his top QB target early in the process. The Rebels are expected to be finished at the quarterback position now in a class that already has nine commitments and is expected to be as large as 30-31 members.

Patterson said on Tuesday he plans to help Ole Miss fill some of those remaining spots in the 2016 class.

"This is just the start of my process," Patterson said, who added he was shutting down his recruitment. "I'm going to do everything I can to bring in the best prospects to Ole Miss."

Two Louisiana 2016s to watch who have very close relationships with Patterson are 4-star wide receiver Mykel Jones and 4-star linebacker/running back Devin White. White was in attendance at Patterson's announcement ceremony on Tuesday.

Patterson said he had been intrigued by Ole Miss since his very first visit.

"Since I first went there, I knew that was a place I could see myself," he said, adding that he tried to visualize himself at each school he visited throughout the recruiting process. "I only saw it with one school."

With the addition of Patterson to the 2016 recruiting class, Ole Miss remains ranked No. 2 in the nation and tops in the SEC in the 247Sports team recruiting rankings.

