The 2019 recruiting class is paramount to the Ole Miss Rebels. Not only do they need a serious infusion of playmakers and depth on both sides of the ball, but to be frank, the program needs to give the fan base something to get excited about after a horrific ending to the 2018 regular season, in which they lost 5 consecutive games and were embarrassed at home by their in-state rivals.

So far, this class is shaping up nicely for Ole Miss, and they’re ranked No. 19 nationally with 27 commitments, including 5 4-stars. This class lacks some of the star power that fans got used to under Hugh Freeze, so there’s no Robert Nkemdiche, Laremy Tunsil, Shea Patterson or Greg Little, but this class features a nice blend of developmental prospects and a few who could see early playing time.

Here are 5 recruits that can help the Rebels immediately in 2019. Bear in mind, the Rebels highest ranked recruit, RB Jerrion Ealy, isn’t listed below, because it’s highly unlikely he’ll play a down at Ole Miss. Most baseball insiders are pegging him as a first-round pick in next spring’s MLB Draft, and if that’s the case, it’s difficult to envision a team giving him millions of dollars to take a pounding from SEC defenses. If he does somehow wind up on the Ole Miss campus, you can be assured he’ll see early playing time.

5. Jamar Richardson, CB

Rank: 3-star, JUCO

Richardson (6-0, 185) played well in a loaded Jones County Junior College secondary this year, showing good instincts and playmaking ability. He has a long and lean frame and does a nice job getting his long arms up into passing windows. He’s better in press than off coverage, showing nice physicality at the line with smooth feet and hips in transition. He dances the fine line between sticky coverage and pass interference often, and will get grabby with receivers who beat him on double moves, but he’s a hard-nosed player who can lay the wood coming up in run support.

This isn’t much of a secret, but the Rebels were simply horrendous on defense last year, dismal on all three levels, so obviously they’re going to be looking for help from any newcomers they sign. Their pass defense, which was 108th nationally in passing yards allowed per game (261.7) is set to lose two of their better players in seniors Ken Webster and Zedrick Woods, and it’s unknown what Jaylon Jones, who tore his ACL in Week 1 this year, will look like when he comes back. A physical press corner who plays with an edge like Richardson should be a welcome addition to the group.

4. Jeremy James, OT

Rank: 3-star

The Rebels have an enormous class of offensive linemen committed (8 as of this writing), and obviously Matt Luke and company would like to redshirt most of them. One who could play early, however, is James (6-5, 315), a big and physical kid who could play either inside or outside. He has a thick frame with a wide base who can really drive guys off the ball with his raw power. He does a nice job in his pass sets, though will stop his feet at times, leading to lunging – nothing that can’t be remedied with time with Jack Bicknell.

The offensive line, which was a strong unit in 2018, is set to lose three starters up front, including Greg Little, who is leaving early for the NFL. It would be somewhat surprising to see James or any of the other incoming freshman win a starting job in camp, but there’s not a whole lot of depth. Simply put: The Rebels need guys who show enough strength and foot quickness (like James), who can also play inside or outside, to provide immediate depth to rotate in. James could be the swing tackle next fall, replacing senior Jordan Sims.

3. Dannis Jackson, WR

Rank: 4-star

Jackson is a smooth athlete who glides on the field. He has decent length at 6-1, 187 and is a very good jump-ball receiver who does a nice job high-pointing the ball. He can win in one-on-one coverage and catch the ball in traffic, and can make a move and be gone. He’s a long strider who is rarely caught from behind. With opposing teams constantly in fear of his speed, he constantly faced off coverage, so how he effectively he gets release and separation against press in the SEC will likely be his greatest challenge.

The Rebels had one of the best groups of receivers in the country this year, and were a big reason the offense was so successful. With that said, they’re losing DaMarkus Lodge, Alex Weber and Floyd Allen to graduation, and A.J. Brown and D.K. Metcalf have already announced they’re leaving early for the NFL Draft. As much as the Rebels rely on their passing attack, they need a bevy of playmakers outside at receiver to rely on, and with that amount of talent needing to be replaced, they’ll surely look for incoming freshmen to carve out roles early. Considering Jackson’s speed and playmaking ability, I’d be surprised if he isn’t one of them.

2. Sam Williams, DE

Rank: 4-star, JUCO

The 6-4, 250-pounder shows natural pass rush ability both inside and outside. He can win with speed and power, though he’s coasted on natural athleticism and ability up to this point. He’ll need to continue improving his hands and flexibility to provide the edge rushing presence the Rebels need, but the skills are there. The Rebels struggled to consistently apply pressure off the edge last year, and Williams has all the tools capable of being a guy who can help immediately.

Williams is considered the No. 7 JUCO prospect in the country, according to 247sports, and has been courted by everyone from Alabama to LSU to Florida State, so obviously this would be a big catch for the Rebels. He plays a position of need, too. He’s largely been playing stand-up OLB for Northeast Mississippi Community College, though he could also find himself playing DE in a 4-3. New defensive coordinator Mike MacIntyre (great hire, by the way), favors an odd front, so I would expect Williams to be rushing from a stand-up position early on.

1. Jonathan Mingo, WR

Rank: 4-star

Mingo has a good frame at 6-2, 200 pounds and shows great body control and balance. He doesn’t appear to be a burner, but shows good burst and lateral quickness, making him a threat after the catch. He’s a physical receiver who uses his frame well and is strong going across the middle and finding a seam on bubble screens. The film I saw of him also shows soft and reliable hands, which always tends to put younger guys in a position to play early.

As indicated above, the Rebels will be looking to replace a lot of lost production at receiver this offseason. Braylon Sanders and Elijah Moore will surely get their share of targets, but I’d be surprised if guys like Mingo and Jackson aren’t in a position to make an early impact. Assuming Phil Longo is still coordinating the offense, it also bodes well in their favor to play early since his scheme is overly simplistic for receivers to play in from a route perspective, making it easy for younger guys to pick up early on.