Ole Miss Rebels stars have huge opportunity to skyrocket up 2025 NFL Draft boards at Senior Bowl
The Ole Miss Rebels were stacked with NFL talent this past season. Lane Kiffin assembled one of the best rosters in program history as the Rebels posted their third 10+ win season in the last four years. Now it's time for that NFL talent to shine, rising throughout the 2025 NFL Draft process this spring.Yes, […]
The Ole Miss Rebels were stacked with NFL talent this past season. Lane Kiffin assembled one of the best rosters in program history as the Rebels posted their third 10+ win season in the last four years. Now it's time for that NFL talent to shine, rising throughout the 2025 NFL Draft process this spring.
Yes, believe it or not it's already NFL Draft season, with most all star games underway or completed at this point. And the most important all star game of the entire NFL Draft process, the Senior Bowl, is about to kick off this week in Mobile, Alabama. Ole Miss, to the surprise of absolutely no one, is sending several players from their stacked 2024 squad there who could skyrocket up 2025 NFL Draft boards with a good week of practice and interviews.
Which former Ole Miss Rebels players will be at the Senior Bowl, and where could they possibly be drafted? Let's dive in.
Jaxson Dart, Quarterback
Jaxson Dart finished the regular season ranked first in yards per play, first in total yards per game, first in adjusted yards per attempt, second in passer rating, and fourth in QBR among all FBS college football quarterbacks last fall. He should already be considered an indisputable top three quarterback in this class, but unfortunately the laggards and ill-informed aren't there yet.
After Jaxson Dart puts on a clinic in Senior Bowl practices all week a larger majority of the NFL Draft community will finally see that he can make all the throws, possesses excellent athletic ability to add value with his legs, and brings phenomenal in-game instincts and intelligence.
Currently Jaxson Dart is still considered a day two pick according to the latest 2025 NFL Draft projections, but he's been rising in recent weeks back towards where he belongs. A to Z Sports has spoken with multiple NFL teams who already have him ranked as high as QB2 in the class. The Senior Bowl will be great place to showcase why Dart should be a first round pick. Huge opportunity for him.
Walter Nolen, Defensive Line
Walter Nolen took his game to another level in 2024 as a do-it-all monster run-stopper who could also create extreme havoc in the pass rush game too. He posted near a 10% pass rush pressure rate, almost double the positional starter's average at the FBS level. He added six sacks. And of course missed almost zero tackles on the season. This high pedigree force along the defensive line should shine at the Senior Bowl.
He spent a good portion of this past season taking on contact from multiple offensive lineman all the time. Nolen should be able to annihilate one-on-ones with his elite mix of strength, speed, and bend for a defensive tackle. He may not be the consensus DT2 right now, but that's his ceiling if he puts on a show at the Senior Bowl.
Princely Umanmielen, Edge Defender
Princely Umanmielen has posted three straight impressive seasons in a row as a pass rusher and is finally getting some of the recognition he deserves. Over 100 pass rush presses and nearly 20 sacks in just the last two years. Dominant performances against the best teams in the country. Umanmielen has done it all.
Umanmielen needs to prove he can win with more than speed and flexibility at the Senior Bowl. The one-on-ones should be easy when he leans into his strengths, but when it comes to winning with brute force and elaborate technique Umanmielen needs to show he's been working and improving.
He's currently considered a fringe first round pick, perhaps an early second round pick. A strong showing could push him up into the early 20s by the time draft day comes.
Trey Amos, Cornerback
Trey Amos rose quickly from small school star, to consistent role player at Alabama, to the life blood of the Ole Miss secondary. He became a shutdown outside cornerback for Lane Kiffin and the Rebels in 2024, allowing a passer rating when targeted below 55 and a completion rate of barely 50%. Amos needs to show off his fluidity, physicality, and ability to adjust post-break against shiftier wide receivers. That could be enough push him towards early second round consideration.
Jared Ivey, Edge Defender
It took four or five years, but when Jared Ivey finally embraced the perfect role for him on the Ole Miss defense he became one of the better role players for the Rebels. 40+ pressures and eight sacks last season. Much improved missed tackle rates over his final two years. Ivey plays with a high motor and intensity to finish strong on every snap. NFL teams will love that. If he does well in interviews and shows off the same finish to every play in practices he might rise into early round three consideration.
Caden Davis, Kicker
Not many specialists get drafted in the modern NFL, but the ones that do typically perform well throughout the all star game and NFL Combine process. Davis is just one of two field goal kicking specialists at the Senior Bowl and should have plenty of opportunity to impress, potentially raising his late round 2025 NFL Draft stock.
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We'll be back with more Ole Miss Rebels coverage here at A to Z Sports all year long! Follow me (@FF_TravisM) and A to Z Sports (@AtoZSportsNFL) on X for all the latest football news!
And if you want to look back on some of the special moments from Jaxson Dart's incredible career at Ole Miss you can check out the highlights video below!
