Ole Miss Rebels' WR Room Named Top 5 Position Group to Love in 2024
OXFORD, Miss. -- It is Valentine's Day, and there is plenty to love about the Ole Miss Rebels entering the 2024-25 college football season. Lane Kiffin and his staff brought in some serious reinforcements on both sides of the ball this offseason, and they have successfully recruited the No. 3 transfer portal class in the nation, per On3.
In honor of Valentine's Day, 247Sports released its Top 10 "sweetheart" rankings for 2024 - highlighting the position groups and roster additions that college football fans could fall in love with this upcoming season - and Ole Miss' uber-talented receiver room landed at No. 4 on the list.
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"From a numbers standpoint, Ohio State and Texas may have more depth, but from a WR1 through WR3 perspective, it's hard not to recognize the Rebels as the team nationally who jumps off the page this spring," 247Sports wrote on Wednesday. "When a top-end transfer like Antwane Wells from South Carolina is likely your third most-targeted option in 2024 behind Tre Harris (54 catches for 985 yards) and Jordan Watkins (53 catches for 741 yards), that's impressive. JUCO talents Deion Smith or Marquis Willis are expected to be post-spring enrollees and the sophomore duo of Ayden Williams and Cayden Lee will see the field this season, too."
Ole Miss lost its No. 2 receiver from 2023 season (Dayton Wade) to the upcoming NFL Draft, but the Rebels found more than enough talent to make up for the loss this offseason.
Former South Carolina Gamecock Juice Wells is rated as the No. 3 receiver in the portal this cycle and brings with him the big-play ability that Wade showed off multiple times last season. Kiffin also recruited Deion Smith to the Sip, who was the No. 1 JUCO wideout this year, and received a pledge from Marquis Willis - the little brother of Tennessee Titans' quarterback Malik Willis.
Those three will be joined by returning Ole Miss starters Tre Harris and Jordan Watkins who combined for 1,726 receiving yards and 11 touchdown receptions. Last but not least, true sophomore wideouts Ayden Williams and Cayden Lee will add depth. Lee hauled in five passes for 114 receiving yards and two touchdowns as a freshman in 2023, while Williams brought in four catches for 80 yards.
