OXFORD – Ole Miss football fans have witnessed Jaxson Dart’s excellence as a quarterback. They’ve heard about what top transfers like Walter Nolen and Princely Umanmielen can do on the defensive line. They have marveled at Tre Harris’ exploits as a wide receiver.
These, among several others, are the stars fueling enthusiasm for the rebels in 2024.
But winning at the level Ole Miss expects next season will take more than just star power.
Here are five under-the-radar names that could help the rebels achieve their goals.
WR Deion Smith
Smith arrived in the summer, so the combination of his absence from spring practice and the fact that he will come to play in a room full of Ole Miss wide receivers seems to have made him an afterthought for some. But Smith, a college addition, brings elite athleticism and knowledge of what SEC standards are like. He made an impact at LSU as a true freshman in 2021 before moving to Holmes Community College. With Harris, Juice Wells and Jordan Watkins in the picture as the Rebels’ receivers, Smith has a mountain ahead of him when it comes to earning playing time. Don’t be surprised if he raises it.
OL Jeremy James
The 2023 season wasn’t James’ best and it wasn’t good for the Rebels’ offensive line as a whole. Especially against high-quality opponents, Ole Miss struggled at the point of attack. With four linemen added to the group via the transfer portal, position coach John Garrison has some things to do. A veteran like James is valuable in that type of situation. And James showed earlier in his career that he can get good grades individually. In what the Rebels hope will be a more functional offensive line, maybe James can get back to his best.
LB TJ Dudley
Dudley transferred from Clemson last offseason, but NCAA rules forced him not to play until the Peach Bowl against Penn State, where he made a nice cameo. Dudley is a former top recruit and appears versatile enough to play on the edge as well as in a more traditional linebacker role. The Rebels made a key offseason addition at linebacker in Chris Paul Jr., but there should be plenty of opportunities available for Dudley at a position that doesn’t feature supreme depth.
DL Zxavian Harris
With the arrival of Nolen and the return of JJ Pegues, it seems unlikely that Harris will begin 2024 as a starter. But that doesn’t mean he won’t contribute. Defensive coordinator Pete Golding aggressively rotated his defensive line in 2023, leading to 258 snaps for Harris in a reserve role. At 6-foot-7 and 335 pounds, Harris is among the most physically imposing players on the Rebels’ roster. Now that he’s a junior, maybe that size can start to translate into solid production.
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Caden Davis
If the Rebels achieve what they hope for (a College Football Playoff appearance), they will have to win a game or two by margin. They have a way to do it in Davis, whose leg has as much power as you’re likely to see in the college game. His 56-yard field goal last season helped the Rebels out of a tough situation at Tulane. He is also able to hit from further away. Ole Miss special teams took a big step forward under new coordinator Jake Schoonover last season. Davis is among the key players charged with taking advantage of that improvement.
David Eckert covers Ole Miss for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at deckert@gannett.com or reach him on Twitter @davideckert98.
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