Ole Miss Undrafted Free Agent Tracker: Multiple Rebels Have Been Signed Since the NFL Draft Closed
OXFORD, Miss. -- The 2023 NFL Draft has officially closed, and after seven rounds and 259 picks, only four Ole Miss Rebels ended up being selected out of the 11 prospects who participated in their Pro Day. The Rebels who did not get a phone call during the draft are receiver Malik Heath, defensive lineman KD Hill, safety Otis Reese, linebacker Troy Brown, offensive lineman Mason Brooks, and kicker Jonathan Cruz.
With so much Ole Miss talent still left on the board, teams were allowed to start signing undrafted free agents when the draft ended on Saturday, and six Rebels have already been signed to NFL rosters in the post-draft frenzy.
Here is The Grove Report's UDFA tracker, check back often to stay up-to-date on the newest NFL Rebels.
Troy Brown - New York Giants
Ole Miss' leading tackler from last fall is heading to "The Big Apple." Brown will get his first chance in the NFL with the New York Giants after recording 93 tackles, 2.5 TFLs, half a sack, and one forced fumble in his first and only season with the Rebels. The Flint, Mich., native transferred to Ole Miss from the Central Michigan Chippewas and quickly became an anchor at the second level of the Rebel defense paired up with linebacker Khari Coleman.
AJ Finley - Los Angeles Rams
Finley will join a familiar face in Los Angeles in running back Zach Evans, who was one of the Rams' sixth-round selections. Finley was a leader in the Ole Miss secondary and finished fourth on the team in tackles his senior year with 76. The Mobile, Ala., native also added on two interceptions and one forced fumble last fall. In four seasons with the Rebels, Finley totaled 245 tackles, eight interceptions, 8.5 TFLs, and two forced fumbles.
Otis Reese - Tennessee Titans
Reese, one of the more underrated Ole Miss defenders from the last three seasons, was signed by the Tennessee Titans as a UDFA on Saturday. The Leesburg, Ga., native spent his first 25 games playing for the Georgia Bulldogs before deciding to transfer to Ole Miss ahead of the 2020 season. Reese quickly found his niche as the Swiss Army knife of the Ole Miss secondary, serving as a hybrid safety/linebacker. In his senior year, Reese finished second on the team in tackles with 84 and added on 8.0 TFLs, three sacks, and one interception.
KD Hill - New York Jets
Hill, the recipient of the 2022 Chucky Mullins Courage Award, is getting his first chance in the pros with the New York Jets. Hill shared reps at the nose tackle position with defensive lineman JJ Pegues last fall and finished his senior year with 21 tackles, 2.0 TFLs, and one sack.
Malik Heath - Green Bay Packers
Ole Miss' leading receiver from last year is officially a Green Bay Packer. After spending his first two seasons playing for the Mississippi State Bulldogs, Heath decided to transfer to his then-arch rival ahead of the 2022 season and wound up leading Ole Miss in receiving yards (971), receptions (60), and touchdowns (five), while averaging 74.69 yards per game. Heath was an excellent complement to Ole Miss receiver Jonathan Mingo and stepped into the No. 1 receiver role nicely when Mingo was asked to play more reps at the tight end position due to injuries.
Mason Brooks - Washington Commanders
Brooks was signed by the Washington Commanders after spending his first and only season with Ole Miss as a depth piece along the offensive line. Brooks transferred to Oxford after spending the last four seasons playing for the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers. Brooks was a starting tackle at the start of the 2022 season but would lose the role to Ole Miss offensive tackles Jayden Williams and Micah Pettus as the season progressed.
You can follow Ben King on Twitter at @BKing_2023.
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