ATLANTA | Ole Miss had a school-record NFL Draft class in April with eight selections.
That’s the most since the seven-round format began in 1994 and the second-most since the AFL-NFL merger in 1967. It’s an obvious amount of talent exiting the roster and on to professional football.
Five defensive starters were in that draft class, and Ole Miss is without 10 of its top 12 defensive players as far as snap counts during the 2024 season. Despite the turnover, the Rebels aren’t changing their expectations.
“Being a leader, being able to set the standard, showing the team that there’s no drop-off,” Ole Miss linebacker TJ Dottery said at SEC Media Days in Atlanta. “Showing everybody else there’s no drop-off, and just being excited to bring the landshark defense to the full effect.”
OFFER: [Use code: chasegetsyou75 for 75 percent off at 247Sports]
Dottery played 689 snaps a season ago, the fourth-most on the Ole Miss defense. He was second on the team in tackles and fourth in hits on quarterbacks. He and Suntarine Perkins are the returners and expected leaders of the defensive Rebels.
Ole Miss has won 10 games or more in three of the last four seasons. The Rebels were a favorite to make the College Football Playoff a year ago, but three regular season losses landed Ole Miss in the Gator Bowl – a blowout of overmatched Duke.
The lingering effect of missing the CFP is there. And Dottery is one of the players tasked with putting that intensity into the new players out of the transfer portal.
Ole Miss has the fourth-ranked transfer portal class, per 247Sports. The Rebels have at least 30 players coming into the program and at least 30 leaving the program through the portal.
“Chip on my shoulder, especially being (on the roster) last year,” Dottery said. “But with new guys on the roster, being able to focus on this year, take it one week at a time, but it’s been good and the chip’s on our shoulder. It’s been a huge chip on our shoulder. All the guys are hungry, new guys and the young guys, everybody’s hungry, that’s been good.”
Head coach Lane Kiffin’s portal success is obviously about increasing talent on the roster and bringing in the players with the correct size-speed ratio and ability. It’s also about chemistry fitting with the returners.
Kiffin bragged on his team a season ago for the off-the-field continuity and how the new and old worked together into one team. That’s been the catalyst for the wins in the last two years.
Dotterty, Austin Simmons, Cayden Lee and others are in charge of that convergence.
“Guys like me, Austin and Cayden Lee, who were here last year and years before that who know the standard in and out, Ole Miss and how to be an Ole Miss football player,” Dottery said. “Guys like us, being able to take the next step and be a leader on and off the field for new guys, young guys, I think that’s the biggest key to keep that component and keep the standard of how it is.”
Our SEC Media Days coverage is proudly brought to you by New Albany Pharmacy & Solutions. Located at 140 Fairfield Drive in New Albany, you can contact them at 662-539-7777. New Albany Pharmacy & Solutions is a family-owned pharmacy with excellent service and a wide range of gifts for all ages, as well as home décor, jewelry and more. Tell them you heard about them from MPW Digital and get 15 percent off any non-medical purchase.