A defensive back from Alabama in the Class of 2025 who went to three of the Vols’ home games the previous season recently paid the Vols another visit.
Sidney Walton received a second SEC scholarship offer from Tennessee when he made his first visit to the Vols over five months ago. Since then, he has persisted in traveling to Knoxville on a regular basis.
After his most recent trip to Tennessee, the defensive back from Moody (Ala.) High School in the class of 2025 still finds them to be among the teams that most impress him. He stated that the Vols are “in my top five” out of the more than a dozen teams vying for his services. The Vols hosted him again on February 3 for their first junior day of the season.
The Ole Miss wide receivers room was easily among the nation’s best last season. They had a clear cut No. 1 receiver (when healthy) in Tre Harris, who nearly put up back-to-back 900 plus yard seasons with at least 10 touchdowns, on top of having two other established pass catchers in Dayton Wade and Jordan Watkins.
Jaxson Dart had a three-headed monster within the position group as Harris, Watkins and Wade all had over 740 receiving yards with at least three touchdowns apiece. But with Wade previously announcing that he would be opting to take his talents to the NFL level, the Rebels knew that they had to do what they do best…acquire talent.
It only made sense after the results Ole Miss’ offense saw with their prior acquisitions from Louisiana-Tech, Louisville and Western Kentucky, which turned out to be a match made in heaven.
Not only did they add the No. 4 available portal wide receiver when they brought in Antwane Wells, they also brought in top JUCO prospects in Deion Smith and Marquis Willis.
Smith and Willis were in an exclusive group as they were both rated as top-four available JUCO receivers by 247Sports this cycle. This group has tons of potential across the board, including some younger returnees, and if one thing is for sure it’s that Ole Miss’ pass attack will keep defensive coordinators up at night with Dart back in the fold.
247Sports national college football writer Brad Crawford also has Ole Miss’ promising group among his top-10 position units to ‘love’ across the college football landscape in 2024, placing them at No. 4.
“From a numbers standpoint, Ohio State and Texas may have more depth, but from a WR1 through WR3 perspective, it’s hard not to recognize the Rebels as the team nationally who jumps off the page this spring. When a top-end transfer like Antwane Wells from South Carolina is likely your third most-targeted option in 2024 behind Tre Harris (54 catches for 985 yards) and Jordan Watkins (53 catches for 741 yards), that’s impressive,” Crawford added. “JUCO talents Deion Smith or Marquis Willis are expected to be post-spring enrollees and the sophomore duo of Ayden Williams and Cayden Lee will see the field this season, too. Jaxson Dart has limitless options in the passing game and all of these guys offer a little something different from a skill set perspective.”
Ole Miss’ wide receiver unit was special in 2023 and played an integral role in the team getting 11 wins for the first time ever, but it is shaping up to be even better in 2024. First-year Ole Miss wide receivers coach George McDonald should have a lot of fun with this group.
Inside the Rebels will continue to provide wall-to-wall football coverage all throughout the offseason, the spring and all the way up to the 2024 season. Inside the Rebels will also provide coverage in regards to those going through the NFL Draft and transfer portal process over the coming months. The Ole Miss Rebels will open up a heavily-anticipated 2024 season inside Vaught-Hemingway Stadium against Furman on Saturday Aug. 31. Not a board member yet? Join the family here!
