Ole Miss Rebels Included in ESPN's College Football Future Power Rankings
OXFORD, Miss. -- We have not even reached Week 1 of the 2023 college football season, but it is never too early to look ahead a couple of years into the future.
On Monday, ESPN released Future Power Rankings (FPR) listing college football's top 25 teams for the next three seasons, and the Ole Miss Rebels just snuck in at the No. 25 spot. Ole Miss is one of six teams from the Southeastern Conference to make the FPR - eight if you include the Texas Longhorns and Oklahoma Sooners.
According to ESPN, the FPR serves as "a personnel-based forecast," which evaluates how current and future players will impact performance for their teams. Track records, recruiting, and the transfer portal all play a significant role in creating these projections.
Here is the excerpt on Ole Miss making the FPR top 25.
25. Ole Miss Rebels
2023 Future QB ranking: Not ranked
2023 Future defense ranking: Not ranked
2023 Future offense ranking: 18
2022 Future team ranking: Not ranked
Scouting the Rebels: The final spot in the team rankings is always a difficult choice. There were several teams considered, including BYU, Texas Tech, Minnesota, Mississippi State, Fresno State, Louisville, Boise State, NC State and Kentucky. Ultimately, Ole Miss' personnel clout won the day, as coach Lane Kiffin continues to collect talent through recruiting and the portal. The offense made the FPR top 20, and the quarterback group narrowly missed the rundown. Ole Miss returns starter Jaxson Dart, who can play through 2024, and solidified both the short- and long-term QB depth by adding Oklahoma State transfer Spencer Sanders, who went 46-6 as the Cowboys' starter, and LSU transfer Walker Howard (ESPN's No. 42 overall recruit in 2022). The Rebels also boast arguably the nation's best running back in Quinshon Judkins, who will play at least two more seasons after a 1,567-yard debut. Ulysses Bentley IV is a capable second option when healthy. Wide receiver historically has been a strength for Ole Miss and should remain that way, as the team added two first-team All-Conference USA transfers in Zakhari Franklin (UTSA) and Tre Harris (Louisiana Tech). They join seniors Jordan Watkins and Dayton Wade. Ole Miss projects well at tight end with Michael Trigg and Memphis transfer Caden Prieskorn. The line returns four starters, including key non-seniors like tackle Jayden Williams, and added Washington transfer Victor Curne.
Ole Miss ultimately needs more signature SEC wins under Kiffin, which puts the spotlight on its defense, now under the direction of coordinator Pete Golding. The unit will have plenty of new faces, as Kiffin went to the transfer portal for defensive backs (Georgia Tech's Zamari Walton, Miami Ohio's John Saunders Jr., Tulane's Jadon Canady, UCF's Justin Hodges), defensive line (James Madison's Isaac Ukwu, NC State's Josh Harris, Nebraska's Stephon Wynn Jr., Georgia Tech's Akelo Stone) and linebacker (Louisville's Monty Montgomery, UCF's Jeremiah Jean-Baptiste). They join key returnees like linebackers Khari Coleman and Ashanti Cistrunk, and linemen J.J. Pegues, Jared Ivey and Cedric Johnson. Junior safety Ladarius Tennison (10 tackles for loss) is poised to lead the secondary through 2024, alongside seniors Isheem Young and Deantre Prince. Linebacker Suntarine Perkins, ESPN's No. 18 overall recruit for 2023, tops a class that includes three other ESPN four-star defenders. Ole Miss also has 2024 commitments from ESPN 300 linemen Jeffery Rush and Kamron Beavers.
Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin has set his program up for success for the next three seasons thanks to yet another restock from the NCAA Transfer Portal. This offseason, Kiffin built one of the best quarterback rooms in the country when transfers Spencer Sanders (Oklahoma State Cowboys) and Walker Howard (LSU Tigers) announced in January they would be joining returning starter Jaxson Dart in Oxford. Whoever ends up being named Ole Miss' starter will also have the luxury of handing the ball off to arguably the best running back in college football, sophomore Quinshon Judkins.
Former transfer wideouts Zakhari Franklin (UTSA Roadrunners) and Tre Harris (Louisiana Tech Bulldogs) headline Ole Miss' 2023 receiving corps and prove that receiver will continue to be a strength for the Rebels.
A revamped defense under new defensive coordinator Pete Golding should also equate to more signature conference victories for Ole Miss in the future.
You can follow Ben King on Twitter at @BKing_2023.
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