NFL executives have surprising stance on Ulysses Bentley IV vs. Quinshon Judkins debate

The Ole Miss Rebels benefitted from one of the most talented backfields in the nation in 2023. However, after star running back Quinshon Judkins transferred to Ohio State , the door has opened for Ulysses Bentley IV to make Ole Miss fans forget about Judkins.

Judkins' decision to transfer was not received well amongst the Rebels fan base. Even head coach Lane Kiffin chimed in with a subtweet at the two-time first-team All-SEC running back.

Though the breakup was messy, Judkins' impact was objectively substantial. He burst onto the scene in 2022 with 1,567 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns on the ground. Last season, Judkins' production dipped with Bentley in a supplementary role, but he still produced 1,158 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns.

Now, it's Bentley's time to shine. Though his 540-yard campaign in 2023 isn't going to raise many eyebrows, Bentley could easily find himself in the 1,000-yard club this fall. While he has yet to assume the duties of a lead back at the college level, there are NFL executives who believe Bentley will be a better pro than Judkins.

"This might come as a surprise to some Mississippi fans, but there's teams in the league that have higher grades on Bentley than they had on Judkins," says Jim Nagy of the Senior Bown on SportsTalk Mississippi.

"Because he's dynamic. He's an electric player, man," Nagy explained. I was at the Auburn Ole Miss game last year, Brad Holmes the GM of Lions was there, Brandon Beane the GM of the Bills was there, I'm down on the field and we love Bentley."

Nagy details the conversation he had with both general managers, "I'm like, 'What would you guys think if we invited this guy to the Senior Bowl as a backup?' They're like, 'Are you kidding me? We want to see him.'"

It's pretty encouraging to hear NFL general managers, and a couple of the most successful GMs at that, heap praise on the Ole Miss running back. Perhaps that's why Kiffin and his staff aren't sweating the loss of Judkins because they know what they have in Bentley.

Bentley's versatility will shine through in 2024 as most SEC defenses will be focused on stopping Jaxson Dart and the passing attack. If Bentley can eclipse the 1,00-yard benchmark it likely means the Rebels will sprint straight into the College Football Playoff.