The 2013 Ole Miss recruiting class will always go down as a program-turner under Hugh Freeze.
Anti-Rebels will point to draft-night drama with Laremy Tunsil to spoil the class’ biggest night, but even after three from the class left in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft, there are a handful of 2013 signees with impact left to make.
Only one of the five-star signees remains. That is DB Tony Conner, who if not for missing eight games last season (meniscus) would be gone to the NFL with fellow five-stars Robert Nkemdiche, Laquon Treadwell and Tunsil.
Four-star Austin Golson was a Florida State flip on signing day but after playing 12 games as a freshman he transferred closer to his Prattville, Ala. home to Auburn, where he is the Tigers’ starting left tackle.
The only four-star left and expected to make an impact is running back Jordan Wilkins. The redshirt junior, who started two games last season and was fourth on the team with 379 yards on 72 carries, is expected to compete for a starting job.
That competition will also feature 2013 classmate Eugene Brazley.
Chad Kelly’s arrival signaled the eventual departure of the class’ two quarterbacks, four-star Ryan Buchanan and three-star DeVante Kincade. Buchanan left the team to focus on his studies. Kincade transferred to Grambling.
Quincy Adeboyejo came to Oxford with Treadwell. Now Adeboyejo has the floor. He’ll have the chance to be a household SEC name, but who says he shouldn’t be already? He caught 38 passes for 604 yards and 7 touchdowns last season. Classmate Derrick Jones will battle for time there as a senior, too.
The other pair of hands from the 2013 class expected to save his best for last is TE Evan Engram. Projected as a first-rounder in the 2017 NFL Draft, Engram is coming off back-to-back 38-catch seasons and may not have scratched the surface of his potential.
What he can do is avoid tackles and rack up yards after the catch. He’ll have plenty of opportunities to do so in his final season.
Outside of Conner defensively, senior DE Fadol Brown is the last one standing expected to play a key role in 2016. Fadol transferred in July 2013. He started eight games last season as a junior and had 32 tackles, 4.5 for loss with 10 quarterback hurries.
