Former Ole Miss star gets second chance in NFL with Jacksonville Jaguars after capitalizing on UFL breakout

The NFL is all about second chances and redemption stories. Former Ole Miss star Breeland Speaks hopes to be the latest to bounce back from a slow start to his career. On Thursday, the Jacksonville Jaguars signed the 2018 second-round pick of the Kansas City Chiefs.

Speaks won the UFL's Defensive Player of the Year Award this past spring, leading the league with 9.5 sacks. The 28-year-old is 6-foot-3, 285 pounds, and can play defensive end and tackle. Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 first reported the news.

Speaks produced 127 tackles, nine sacks, and 15 tackles for loss across three years with the Rebels. His solid athleticism for his huge frame led to the  Chiefs taking him 46th overall. He played sparingly as a rookie, totaling 24 tackles and 1.5 sacks with four starts.

Injuries and issues piled up for Speaks in 2019. He sprained his MCL and tore his meniscus, then was suspended four games while on injured reserve. The Chiefs ended up waiving Speaks after bolstering the position in the offseason.

It seemed over for Speaks at that point. The Michigan Panthers signed him in 2023, and he earned All-USFL honors. The San Francisco 49ers signed him for some preseason action before he returned to the Panthers.