Ole Miss DB John Saunders Jr. Makes Official NFL Draft Announcement

Ole Miss Rebels defensive back John Saunders Jr. is taking his talents to the NFL Draft.

Mississippi Rebels safety John Saunders Jr. (5) runs the ball before the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] / Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Ole Miss Rebels already saw one NFL Draft announcement on Monday in the form of defensive back Trey Washington, and he was later joined in that realm by fellow secondary member John Saunders Jr.

Saunders made his announcement to declare for the NFL Draft on social media with a post you can view here. This officially brings an end to Saunders' college career, one that began at Miami (Ohio) before transferring to Ole Miss prior to the 2023 season.

"To Miami University, I am grateful for the time I spent there and the relationships I made," Saunders wrote. "I will cherish them forever. Lastly to the University of Mississippi, I am so grateful to have been welcomed with such open arms. This experience over the past two years has been amazing!"

In his two seasons with the Rebels, Saunders put up a combined 102 tackles (58 solo) alongside 3.5 tackles for loss and six interceptions, three picks in each campaign. He became a key component of the Ole Miss secondary at the safety position once he stepped on campus, appearing in a total of 25 games across the 2023 and 2024 seasons.

In his five-year college career that stretches back to Miami, Saunders accumulated 178 total tackles and reeled in a massive 11 interceptions.

With these departures announced on Monday, the Rebels have looked to bring in some new talent this offseason to their secondary. Washington and Saunders are joined by another key defender who declared for the draft recently in Trey Amos who came to Ole Miss through the transfer portal from the Alabama Crimson Tide last offseason.

So far, the Rebels have added some key secondary pieces out of the transfer portal in Jaylon Braxton (Arkansas), Sage Ryan (LSU) and Antonio Kite (Auburn).