Fall Camp Storylines: Profiling the Ole Miss Wide Receiver Room

Here's a look at the Ole Miss wideout room and what the rotation could look like come Aug. 31.

Nov 4, 2023; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi Rebels wide receiver Tre Harris (9) makes a one handed catch over Texas A&M Aggies defensive back Josh DeBerry (28) during the second half at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports / Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports

With training camp about to kick into high gear, let's talk about Ole Miss' wideouts.

The buzz from not just around Oxford but from some of the national college football talking heads is that this group could be one of the best in the country. This is something Ole Miss fans might be used to by now with all of the talent that the Rebels have had throughout almost the last two decades, but this group might be better than ever before.

Forget "might;" they are. The wide receiver room at Ole Miss rivals any in the entire country.

With this being said, what might this Rebel receiving room look like on game days? Who are the frontrunners, the ones who could be first off the bench and the wildcards?

Frontrunners

Tre Harris

If Tre Harris was a pitcher, he would be Greg Maddux, the ace of this staff. Harris might not have breakaway speed (or in Maddox's case, velocity), but he has that ability to make guys miss in space, like Maddox with his ability to work the corners.

He is also a monster in single coverage and has a superb ability in bringing in 50-50 balls in the air. The times he was able to go up and make a play on a 50-50 ball were almost shocking. Snagging one-handed catches like the one against Texas A&M made him a human highlight reel in 2023.

Harris has an argument to be the best receiver in college football, and with the additions of some new faces in the room, he could be in more single coverage situations than some defensive coordinators would like.

Jordan Watkins

Not much needs to be said about Watkins: he is Mr. Consistent. Like Tiger Woods in his prime, you know Watkins will deliver in big spots.

Watkins might be the most underrated player in the SEC outside of Ole Miss circles, but I doubt he will be by the end of the year.

Two weeks ago, I predicted Jordan Watkins would lead the team in receiving yards. He is a YAC monster. Remember his long touchdown catch where he turned on the afterburners against LSU? Get him the ball, and he has a chance to score.

Juice Wells

When Ole Miss landed Juice Wells out of the portal, some had to be reminded of who he was. Wells missed almost all of 2023 with an injury, and after he entered the portal, Lane Kiffin was all-in on adding him to this room.

Wells is a veteran and has grown throughout his time in college from the James Madison to the SEC. In Columbia, S.C., Wells is public enemy No. 1, and the only way you get to that level is to be an absolute stud.

Wells is an explosive playmaker who can play on the inside and out wide. Expect him to do a lot of different things in this offense. Like Watkins, Wells can flip the field with one catch.

Throughout camp, Wells has looked the part, really filling out into a bigger-bodied receiver than most originally thought. This is a good sign for someone coming off an injury, and if he can stay on the field, this Ole Miss frontline could the scariest in the country.

Off the Bench

Cayden Lee

Lee has proven himself and could be a guy we look at down the line in 2024 as a true difference maker, but will we see an uptick in his opportunities in big-time games? Only time will tell on that front. Jaxson Dart has high praise for the young receiver, but we will see if he can truly climb the depth chart to leave his mark on the season.

Ayden Williams

The same applies to Ayden Williams who could be another AJ Brown-type player for the Rebels in the future, but as of right now, there is a log jam in front of him.

All of these guys have shined in camp and look to continue to grind towards the season ahead. You know Jaxson Dart is ready to have a breakout third year in this system with all of these explosive playmakers around him.

Wild Card

Deion Smith

The do-it-all freak athlete hasn't been cleared to practice as of yet, but he is in Oxford. Rumors are he is a one-and-done-type player, but with three proven vets ahead of him, Smith could be the odd man out.

Smith is a special athlete and has an NFL build, but can he get up to speed fast enough to leave his mark on 2024?