Official word will probably come later today that cornerback Senquez Golson has signed to play pro baseball with the Boston Red Sox organization.

It's a huge loss for the Rebels, more in potential than what Golson offers immediately. He is probably the Rebels' fourth cornerback right now but has the talent to rise quickly.

His potential departure raises the question of signing the kids who project high in the baseball draft in this day when SEC schools can no longer sign more than the 25 allotted scholarships and let their numbers play out later … after they've seen the effects of the MLB draft.

It's a risk and reward thing. If the move pays off in your favor the reward is huge. Golson will be a big get if something blows up in those negotiations with the Red Sox. At this stage, that isn't expected to happen.

After meetings in Oxford with Boston officials Sunday, Golson flew to Boston for a physical.

On Saturday Golson talked liked a kid who had an idea he was about to sign a baseball contract, and the feeling was that if the got on a plane to Boston that it was over for the Rebels.

Here's what Ole Miss media relations included in its practice report Sunday evening:

“Freshman cornerback Senquez Golson did not practice with the squad Sunday, as he traveled to Boston to meet with the Red Sox regarding their offer to sign a professional baseball contract. Nutt said the eighth-round pick plans to make his decision Monday morning.”

On Saturday Golson said, “I don't know what's going to happen. We're sitting around and playing it by ear.”

He was drafted in the eighth round with the 262nd pick. In June Golson told his hometown newspaper, The Mississippi Press, that it would take $1.3 million to sign him.

At the pre-6 a.m. hour, nothing official has surfaced. We'll update later this morning.