Rebel football players hoping to be drafted in the NFL have one of their final chances to showcase their talent on Friday, March 28 at the Ole Miss Pro Day in the Manning Center. The event is closed to the public, but fans can stream Pro Day Coverage on SEC Network+ at 10:45 a.m.
Prior to Pro Day, players have the chance to participate in the NFL Combine. The Combine is a four-day, invite-only event where players can show off their agility with a 40-yard sprint and position specific drills as well as interview with NFL team scouts.
Pro Day is a way for all NFL Draft prospects to showcase their talent with similar drills to the NFL Combine – including athletic testing, position specific drills and personal interviews with NFL scouts. This event is also a chance for players to find ways to significantly improve their draft stock.
A recent example of someone who soared in their draft stock is BYU quarterback Zach Wilson, who catapulted himself into the No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft after his Pro Day.
This year’s Pro Day is hosting 26 Ole Miss Football prospects. Four Rebels expected to draw attention are quarterback Jaxson Dart, wide receiver Tre Harris, defensive lineman Walter Nolen and defensive lineman JJ Pegues.
Jaxson Dart
Dart is an interesting prospect in every sense of the word. He is predicted to go as high as ninth in the NFL Draft to as low as the second round in some mocks. What is clear, however, is that he is the third best quarterback in the draft behind Sheduer Sanders and Cam Ward. While he could move up to the second best, it is doubtful, as Colorado’s Sanders will likely have a great Pro Day as well.
The quarterback is coming off a good year, passing for 4,279 yards, 29 touchdowns and only six interceptions. He also ran for 495 yards this past season, making him one of the more mobile quarterbacks in the draft.
Most analysts compare Dart to Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix because, while he will not “wow” someone, he is consistent in his decision-making. He is also coming off a solid NFL Combine performance, and has a chance to significantly raise his draft stock with a good showing.
Tre Harris
Harris had an inconsistent 2024 season after suffering a recurring hip/groin injury that left him out of most games. He totaled 1,030 yards and seven touchdowns. When he was on the field, Harris was flat out dominant, but the problem was he could not stay on the field.
He looked healthy at the combine, running a 4.54 40-yard dash, a good time for a receiver of his type. If Harris can showcase his talents at Pro Day, he could sneak into the first round of the draft; he is currently being mocked anywhere in the second round.
Walter Nolen
Nolen is the most comfortable first round pick of any of the Rebels. He is mocked as a Top 10 pick to a mid-to-late first round pick. Nolen’s Senior Bowl performance proved he is unblockable and is a dangerous player on the defensive side of the ball. He is coming off a 26 tackle, six-and-a-half sack season — very good numbers for an interior defensive lineman.
He attended the combine but opted out of the 40-yard run. His talent is unquestioned, and he should put on a show on Friday.
The thing to note are stories from potential interviews with teams, as that is a big question mark with him right now.
JJ Pegues
Pegues is one of the most interesting defensive lineman in this draft simply because he can play both sides of the ball. Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin used him in goal line and short-yardage situations this past season. Pegues had seven touchdowns, and on the defensive side he had 18 tackles and three-and-a-half sacks.
Pegues’s draft ranking is all over the place, as some people have him in the third or fourth round, where others have him in the fifth or sixth round. He ran a 5.15 40 yard dash with an impressive 10-yard split at 1.82.
The main thing to look out for is whether Pegues repeats what he did at the combine and works out as a tight end/running back and defensive lineman.
