With most of the portal transactions from its first opening completed, its time to look at whether Ole Miss got better.
QB
1 - Pierce Clackson - Louisville
Ole Miss is rolling with Austin Simmons. @Neal McCready indicated at least Auburn made a run at Simmons to no avail. I like AJ Maddox, but the room is young and has less game experience. It will be Simmons 3rd year in the system, with all 3 under Weis.
Verdict - Worse. It's worse only because Ole Miss lost the statically best quarterback it ever had. No one in the portal was going to replace what Jaxson Dart brought.
RB
1 - Jordan Simmons - Akron
2 - Kewan Lacey - Mizzou
3 - Trey Hall - Mississippi Gulf Coast
4 - Shekai Mills-Knight - Baylor School (TN)
The running back room kept Ole Miss out of the playoffs. After Henry Parrish, there was no one on the roster who was a SEC running back. Better running back play would have made the offensive line not look so atrocious.
Verdict - Improved. It would be hard to be worse than last years. Ole Miss recruited different types of running backs so the room should have some diversity both in power and speed.
WR
1 - Caleb Cunningham - Choctaw County
2 - Winston Watkins - Venice
3 - Harrison "Trey" Wallace - Penn State
4 - Deuce Alexander - Wake Forest
5 - DeZhaun Stribling - Oklahoma State
6 - Caleb Odem - Alabama
7 - Traylon Ray - WVU
By far the best recruited position on the team. Ole Miss should have real depth at receiver, which was tested once Trey Harris got hurt. I will be looking to see whether there is more of a rotation given the talent in the room. Ole Miss rotates running backs. If you are stopping for substitutions, you might as well do so with the receivers. With Caleb Lee returning, there are a lot of weapons. (Note - I left off two of the other freshmen receivers as there has not be a lot of buzz as to their immediate contribution).
Verdict - Improved. Trey getting hurt and Juice's inconsistencies made this until perform below average. It should be improved next season.
OL
1 - PJ Wilkins - Charlotte
2 - Patrick Kutas - Arkansas
3 - Percy Lewis - Auburn
4 - Connor Howes - Osceola
5 - Devin Harper - Calvary Baptist
6 - Delano Townsend - UAB
Who knows. Will have to see it on the field. I do think that improvement at running back will make the line look better.
Verdict - TBD
TE
Trace Bruckler - New Mexico
Luke Hasz - Arkansas
Wright was exceptional for Ole Miss last season. Prieskorn did well but looked like he played hurt for some of the season. The room appears to have more depth and still has two proven SEC tight ends.
Verdict - Improved (slightly)
DL
1 - De'Shawn Womack - LSU
2 - Princewll Umanmielen - Nebraska
3 - Andrew Maddox - Oak Grove
Lost a lot of reps and NFL talent on the defensive line. Ole Miss had a very good class in 2022. Can they step up with Z. Harris?
Verdict - Worse. It would be hard to have improved from last year. I think the team's overall success depends on the drop off between last year and this year's defensive line.
LB
1 - Jaden Yates - Marshall
2 - Andrew Jones - Grambling
3 - Tahj Chambers - Missouri State
Will be difficult to replace Pooh Paul. I like all 3 linebackers Ole Miss recruited from the transfer portal. There was not a done of depth behind Paul and Dottery and Ole Miss was fortunate to not have injuries at this position.
Verdict - Likely worse.
Secondary
1 - Sage Ryan - LSU
2 - Jaylon Braxton - Arkansas
3 - Antonio Kite - Auburn
4 - Keon Young - Lakeland
5 - Cortez Thomas - Holmes County
6 - Maison Dunn - Tubelo
7 - Major Preston - IMG
Ole Miss replaces a lot of experience in its secondary. There is not a done of proven folks coming in, with the exception of Ryan and Braxton. The secondary's success will be dependent on how quickly the defensive line gets up to speed.
Verdict - Worse.
Overall - The offense, even with Dart gone, should be more consistent. The defense is going to be worse. How much worse, who knows?
Floor - 7-5
Ceiling - 11-1
QB
1 - Pierce Clackson - Louisville
Ole Miss is rolling with Austin Simmons. @Neal McCready indicated at least Auburn made a run at Simmons to no avail. I like AJ Maddox, but the room is young and has less game experience. It will be Simmons 3rd year in the system, with all 3 under Weis.
Verdict - Worse. It's worse only because Ole Miss lost the statically best quarterback it ever had. No one in the portal was going to replace what Jaxson Dart brought.
RB
1 - Jordan Simmons - Akron
2 - Kewan Lacey - Mizzou
3 - Trey Hall - Mississippi Gulf Coast
4 - Shekai Mills-Knight - Baylor School (TN)
The running back room kept Ole Miss out of the playoffs. After Henry Parrish, there was no one on the roster who was a SEC running back. Better running back play would have made the offensive line not look so atrocious.
Verdict - Improved. It would be hard to be worse than last years. Ole Miss recruited different types of running backs so the room should have some diversity both in power and speed.
WR
1 - Caleb Cunningham - Choctaw County
2 - Winston Watkins - Venice
3 - Harrison "Trey" Wallace - Penn State
4 - Deuce Alexander - Wake Forest
5 - DeZhaun Stribling - Oklahoma State
6 - Caleb Odem - Alabama
7 - Traylon Ray - WVU
By far the best recruited position on the team. Ole Miss should have real depth at receiver, which was tested once Trey Harris got hurt. I will be looking to see whether there is more of a rotation given the talent in the room. Ole Miss rotates running backs. If you are stopping for substitutions, you might as well do so with the receivers. With Caleb Lee returning, there are a lot of weapons. (Note - I left off two of the other freshmen receivers as there has not be a lot of buzz as to their immediate contribution).
Verdict - Improved. Trey getting hurt and Juice's inconsistencies made this until perform below average. It should be improved next season.
OL
1 - PJ Wilkins - Charlotte
2 - Patrick Kutas - Arkansas
3 - Percy Lewis - Auburn
4 - Connor Howes - Osceola
5 - Devin Harper - Calvary Baptist
6 - Delano Townsend - UAB
Who knows. Will have to see it on the field. I do think that improvement at running back will make the line look better.
Verdict - TBD
TE
Trace Bruckler - New Mexico
Luke Hasz - Arkansas
Wright was exceptional for Ole Miss last season. Prieskorn did well but looked like he played hurt for some of the season. The room appears to have more depth and still has two proven SEC tight ends.
Verdict - Improved (slightly)
DL
1 - De'Shawn Womack - LSU
2 - Princewll Umanmielen - Nebraska
3 - Andrew Maddox - Oak Grove
Lost a lot of reps and NFL talent on the defensive line. Ole Miss had a very good class in 2022. Can they step up with Z. Harris?
Verdict - Worse. It would be hard to have improved from last year. I think the team's overall success depends on the drop off between last year and this year's defensive line.
LB
1 - Jaden Yates - Marshall
2 - Andrew Jones - Grambling
3 - Tahj Chambers - Missouri State
Will be difficult to replace Pooh Paul. I like all 3 linebackers Ole Miss recruited from the transfer portal. There was not a done of depth behind Paul and Dottery and Ole Miss was fortunate to not have injuries at this position.
Verdict - Likely worse.
Secondary
1 - Sage Ryan - LSU
2 - Jaylon Braxton - Arkansas
3 - Antonio Kite - Auburn
4 - Keon Young - Lakeland
5 - Cortez Thomas - Holmes County
6 - Maison Dunn - Tubelo
7 - Major Preston - IMG
Ole Miss replaces a lot of experience in its secondary. There is not a done of proven folks coming in, with the exception of Ryan and Braxton. The secondary's success will be dependent on how quickly the defensive line gets up to speed.
Verdict - Worse.
Overall - The offense, even with Dart gone, should be more consistent. The defense is going to be worse. How much worse, who knows?
Floor - 7-5
Ceiling - 11-1
