Could Ole Miss have first round picks in next year's NFL Draft?
This past weekend saw the 2024 NFL Draft come and go and for Ole Miss it was a quiet three days outside of some late picks.
The first Rebel to be taken off the board was Deantre Prince in the fifth round. Cedric Johnson and Daijahn Anthony were selected in the sixth and seventh rounds, respectively, by the Cincinnati Bengals.
But that was it. Three players for Ole Miss this draft cycle but do not look for that to be the trend moving forward.
A reason this year’s draft was not eventful for the Rebels? Because a majority of the draft-eligible talent opted to return for ‘The Last Dance.’
As was pointed out by Chuck on Sunday, there are more than two dozen potential draft prospects on the 2024 Ole Miss roster, meaning next spring will be a wild one in Oxford.
With the dust settled in Detroit and all eyes now turned to the upcoming season and the 2025 NFL Draft in Green Bay, the way-too-early mock drafts have already arrived.
Since we are still just under 12 months away from the next draft and the upcoming college football season has yet to even hit preseason, the mock ups are first round projections only. Though Ole Miss looks to be heading back to the first day of the NFL Draft.
The Associated Press’ Ralph Russo released his 2025 NFL mock draft on Sunday, placing a Rebel as a potential Top 10 pick. Defensive end Walter Nolen is already seeing his chance to make a lot of money on Sundays, starting in 2025, and Russo projected the Texas A&M transfer as the seventh overall pick to the Minnesota Vikings.
Russo created his first round draft order based off Bet MGM’s projected NFL win totals.
CBS Sports projected Princely Umanmielen as the 11th overall pick to the Seattle Seahawks, using Caesars Sportbook’s Super Bowl 59 odds for the draft order.
The Ole Miss defense is certainly loaded with future NFL talent but the other side of the football is just as potent.
Recievers Tre Harris and Jordan Watkins opted to return for a final season in Oxford and did so quickly. Both would have been considered strong candidates in this year draft cycle but now have the chance to bolster that potential.
Pro Football Focus released its first round mock draft for next year and has Harris going as the 30th overall pick to the Baltimore Ravens. The order was based off next year’s Super Bowl odds.
Only two Ole Miss players projected but it is, of course, just still April 2024 and there is so much to take place between now and April 24, 2025.
Quarterback Jaxson Dart has the chance to earn his way into a first round pick and join his teammates. Currently Georgia’s Carson Beck seems to be trending as the potential top overall pick.
