In our last article about breakout (surprise) players for the 2024 Ole Miss offense, we chose sophomore wide receiver Ayden Williams and veteran running back Ulysses Bentley IV .
Who are the players who could have breakout seasons on the defensive side of the ball?
There are a couple of guys on defense who we believe will rise to prominence.
One is defensive tackle Jamarious Brown , a redshirt freshman who made enough of an impression last fall that there was consideration to play him more.
The coaches resisted that temptation to maintain his redshirt, but the 6-foot-3, 285-pounder will be ready to shine in 2024 if he gets some playing time at a somewhat crowded position with JJ Pegues , Walter Nolen , Zxavian Harris and Akelo Stone , all veterans with lots of experience.
The only thing that will keep Brown from breaking through will be so many vets in front of him for those two positions, but we have heard rumors that Jamarious might line up on the outside some in heavy packages.
Jamarious, we have been told, has an explosive first step, good strength and good instincts. His technique and rush moves are improving daily also.
Either way, he’s a player Ole Miss wants to hold on to for the future because of his skill set and his motor and attitude.
The second one will not be much of a surprise, but we have yet to see him in a game at his natural position and that is linebacker T.J. Dudley . He burst on the scene in the Peach Bowl at the awkward position for him of defensive end, but anyone paying attention could see his high motor and athleticism.
At linebacker, Dudley will feast playing alongside veteran Arkansas transfer Chris ‘Pooh’ Paul, Jr .
Dudley is the prototype linebacker at 6-1, 230 pounds and even Paul said he has been amazed at Dudley’s athleticism.
“T.J. is a freak athlete – fast and strong – and he learns quickly,” said Paul in a recent interview with the Arkansas transfer linebacker.
Dudley will be able to take advantage of Paul’s experience and that will ease the pressure of the learning curve somewhat. Veteran Khari Coleman will also help T.J. with his linebacker duties.
Honorable-mention – look for veteran defensive back Brandon Turnage to leave a positive mark on the Rebel defense. When we first heard about him transferring to Ole Miss from Tennessee, we didn’t think much of it, but Turnage had a surprising Spring and made himself viable and important in Pete Golding’s plans. We’ll see if that holds up during the season, but he is certainly off to a good start based on spring.
What are your guesses for surprise defensive performers for ’24?
The post Who will be your surprise players on the Ole Miss defense in 2024? appeared first on On3 .
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