2024 NFL mock draft: Where Ole Miss football players are projected to be picked
OXFORD ― Ole Miss football succeeded in retaining many of its key veterans as it loads up for a push to make the College Football Playoff in 2024.
That's going to make for a rather subdued three days at the 2024 NFL Draft, which begins on April 25. The Rebels sent three players to the draft combine: Cedric Johnson, Daijahn Anthony and Deantre Prince. Two recent seven-round mock drafts from national media outlets offered some insight into their outlook.
Edge Cedric Johnson to the Minnesota Vikings
Johnson finished his Ole Miss career with 19 sacks in 40 career games. As a senior in 2023, Jonnson got to the quarterback 5.5 times to tie Jared Ivey for the top spot on a defensive line that rotated heavily under new coordinator Pete Golding.
He showed well at the combine, too. His 4.63 time in the 40-yard dash was good enough for fifth among the edge rushers there. He also recorded top-five showings in the vertical jump and the bench press.
Still, most draft projections seem to have Johnson tabbed as a day-three pick.
ESPN's most recent seven-round mock draft has Johnson going in the seventh round to the Minnesota Vikings at No. 232. The Sporting News also projected Johnson to the Vikings. In that mock draft, Johnson goes a round earlier with pick No. 177.
Safety Daijahn Anthony to the Cincinnati Bengals or Los Angeles Rams
Anthony's ascent to becoming an NFL Draft prospect is nothing short of remarkable. He started his college career at the Division II level, then moved on to Liberty, where he didn't always start. Ole Miss liked his athletic profile and nabbed him out of the transfer portal, and he became a stalwart at safety for the Rebels in 2023.
Anthony finished the season with 61 tackles. He broke up eight passes, came down with three interceptions and memorably forced a fumble with a huge hit on LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels.
ESPN's mock draft has Anthony going to the Cincinnati Bengals in the seventh round at No. 237. Anthony said at Ole Miss' pro day in late March that he'd set up a visit with the Bengals. The Sporting News projects the Los Angeles Rams to take Anthony at No. 217.
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Corner Deantre Prince to the Arizona Cardinals
Prince, who spent four seasons at Ole Miss sandwiched around a year at the junior college level, started every game for the Rebels over the past two seasons. Pro Football Focus awarded him a 76.9 overall grade last year, as he finished with 36 tackles, five pass breakups and an interception.
Prince showed well enough at the combine, with a 4.38 40-yard dash that ranked seventh among corners and the top 10-yard split time at 1.47.
There's no apparent consensus on his draft stock. He's not included in the ESPN mock draft. In the Sporting News mock, he's the first Ole Miss player off the board, going in the fifth round at No. 162 to the Arizona Cardinals.
Top Ole Miss NFL Draft prospects of all time
There have been 23 Ole Miss players taken in the first found of the NFL Draft. Four of them have been selected in the top five.
In 2004, Eli Manning was taken first overall by the San Diego Chargers, a team for which he refused to play. His father, Archie, went second overall to the New Orleans Saints in 1971. Jim Dunaway went third overall to the Vikings in 1963, and the Cleveland Rams selected Parker Hall third overall in 1939.
David Eckert covers Ole Miss for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at deckert@gannett.com or reach him on Twitter @davideckert98.
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: NFL mock draft roundup: Ole Miss football player projections
