Rebels in the Pros: Prince a freshly-made Jaguar after becoming first Ole Miss draftee
Ole Miss football had just three players drafted in the 2024 NFL Draft, tied for the lowest in a single year since 2015.
Mostly because the Rebels brought back the bulk of their core as they ready to chase a title next season.
The 2025 draft process should be more fruitful. Eligible for selection will be quarterback Jaxson Dart, wide receiver Tre Harris, defensive lineman Jared Ivey and a host of others. Harris and Ivey, specifically, put off the draft to return to school.
Cornerback Deantre Prince went off the board first. The Jacksonville Jaguars took Prince in the fifth round. Ole Miss has now sent 315 total Rebels to the league. Fifteen have come under now-fifth-year head coach Lane Kiffin.
“I’m looking forward to competing every play,” Prince said. “I don’t care who’s across from me or who I’ve gotta hold, I’m ready to compete and do anything I have to do to make sure it’s an incompletion or a pick or a fumble or anything.
“Make sure the offense gets the ball back.”
Welcome to the League 😤@prince_deantre x @Jaguars pic.twitter.com/rqFFDV9yuF
— Ole Miss Football (@OleMissFB) April 27, 2024
Prince was a three-year starter for the Rebels.
He’s a native of Charleston, Mississippi, and became just the second Ole Miss player ever selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars. They drafted Prince No. 153 overall.
Running back Snoop Conner went to the Jaguars in the 2022 draft with nearly the exact same selection (No. 154, fifth round). Jacksonville also rosters all-time Ole Miss great Evan Engram. Engram signed as a free agent and last season became just the second Jaguar player to reach 100 receptions in a single season in the Super Bowl Era.
“(Prince) can run, cover (and) he’s got instincts,” Jaguars general manager Trent Baalke said. “There’s a lot to like. We had him higher on the board than obviously where he fell to us. Really like a lot of things about him (and) feel he can come in here and compete.”
Prince is the highest-selected Ole Miss defensive back in nearly a decade.
He’s the best since All-American corner Senquez Golson, who went to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the second round (No. 56 overall) in 2015. Prince played in 51 career games with the Rebels. He started 36.
Prince finished with 145 total tackles (101 solo), 6.0 tackles for loss, a sack, six interceptions, 21 pass breakups and two forced fumbles. He was an NFL Combine invitee and played in the East-West Shrine Bowl.
Prince had 5.0 tackles for loss as an Ole Miss senior, as well as his only career sack, five pass breakups and an interception as one of the top cover corners in the SEC.
The included highlights were provided by Ole Miss Athletics.
