The 2018 Ole Miss football season is just weeks away and with each new season there are always exciting new players we want to see play.
There seems to be an obvious excitement for Ole Miss football fans as the 2018 college football season draws near. We know we have a very good offense and we are ready to see them in action. We also know the defense promises to be much better this season despite depth issues at some positions. Of course, with every new season there are always the new faces who are the future of the Ole Miss football program.
The 2018 season will see a bevy of new faces on both sides of the ball. To say the 2018 Ole Miss class was impressive is an understate considering everything which had happened over the past few years. Of course, the defensive line was certainly beefed up with the 2018 recruiting class as well as the defensive backfield. On offense the Rebels saw the addition of a number of players who will be exciting to watch. OHT takes a look at 5 of them here.
New Faces On Defense
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From the 2018 Ole Miss recruiting class we all saw a major influx of new defensive linemen for this seasons roster. One of those is junior Hal Northern out of Northwest Community College. Rated a 3-star defensive tackle by 247Sports Northern is 6’1 and 295 lbs and is a beast on the defensive line. Northern was the MACJC Norther Defensive Line MVP and named 2017 First Team All-American by the NJCAA. Hal Northern will be wearing No.73.
Another player we are also anxious to see is also a new junior college addition to the Rebels defensive backfield. Vernon Dasher out of Coffeyville Community College in Kansas is another great JUCO transfer for coach Wesley McGriff in 2018. Rated a 3-star outside lineback by 247Sports Dasher is set to compete for the STAR position on the Rebels defense. Dasher is 6’3 and 215 lbs and has the size and speed to be exciting. Dasher will wear the No.3.
New Faces On Offense
This is where it gets exciting for Ole Miss football. As fans we know we have an outstanding offense and we know they have to have new very talented players to fill in the few gaps left from 2017. One of those gaps was left empty at running back with the graduation of Jordan Wilkins who is now with the Indianapolis Colts. We saw the 2018 Ole Miss recruiting class offer us a couple of new backs and one is yet another JUCO player.
Scottie Phillips out of Jones County Junior College is one who we are anxious to see in the Rebels backfield this season. Ranked a 3-star by 247Sports Phillips is listed at just 5’8 but weighs in at 212 lbs. He is fast and is a cut back running back who can cause missed tackle resulting in long runs. He runs solid and is very hard to bring down in the open field. Phillips will be wearing No.22.
How Much Will We See?
Unlike the first three players listed these next two players are not former JUCO players. No, these players are both true freshmen. One was available during spring practice. The first is Elijah Moore of St Thomas Aquinas out of Fort Lauderdale. Moore is highly rated as a 4-star wide receiver by 247Sports and is listed at 5’11 and 181. He is very fast and has great hands. There is a good chance he may not see much impact time for the NWO since they are loaded but he is working into the mix on special teams as a return man and could be exciting to watch. Moore will be wearing No.8 for the Rebels.
The last player and honestly the one who may the most attention from fans is second string quarterback freshman Matt Corral. Corral was available in the spring and word has it he has improved greatly from the Grove Bowl. How much of Corral we actually get to see of Corral in 2018 hinges on the success of the Phil Longo offense. The better the Rebels offense is the more of Corral we will see. Corral is rated a 4-star by 247Sports and is listed at 6’1 and 203 lbs. Corral was US Army All-American selection. Matt Corral will be wearing the No.2 as a Rebel.
Naturally, we want to see all 22 of the signees from the 2018 Ole Miss recruiting class do well in 2018 but the amount we see of any of them could be limited. Still, this class is the future for head coach Matt Luke and the Ole Miss football program and these are just five players who Ole Miss fans will definitely be watching in the future. Good luck to all five in the upcoming season. Please be sure to follow OHT on Facebook and Twitter for the latest news and updates. Hotty Toddy!