'Loaded' Ole Miss Rebels Crack Top 3 in Post-Spring SEC Power Rankings

The Ole Miss Rebels are sitting pretty in the latest SEC power rankings following a productive spring in Oxford.

Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart (2) passes during the Ole Miss Grove Bowl Games at Vaught-Hemingway / Bruce Newman/Special to the Clarion

OXFORD, Miss. – Spring practices have come and gone and the NCAA Transfer Portal is beginning to wind down, which means now is the perfect time to rank all 16 teams in the Southeastern Conference as we enter the dog days of the offseason. The Ole Miss Rebels have been tabbed as one of the premier teams in the SEC this upcoming season after adding one of the best portal classes in the nation, but where exactly do they stand?

247Sports released post-spring power rankings on Sunday, and the SEC is once again going to be extremely competitive in 2024. The Georgia Bulldogs are the obvious No. 1 team in the conference, but it turns into a bit of a frenzy after the top spot. Ole Miss landed at No. 3, just behind the Texas Longhorns (No. 2).

“On paper, this Ole Miss roster looks like a group with a playoff berth on the horizon,” 247Sports writes. “Lane Kiffin essentially drafted a new defense ahead of the 2024 season after seeing what Alabama and Georgia did to the Rebels up front. There's six starters on defense from the portal, including Nolen, Umanmielen and Arkansas linebacker Chris 'Pooh' Paul. Toss in a couple new running backs, ex-Gamecocks star Wells and the three-headed monster returning offensively of Jaxson Dart, Tre Harris and Jordan Watkins and this group is loaded.”

This offseason was all about improvement for the Rebels. Every position group managed to get stronger in some shape or form. This includes running back despite the loss of superstar tailback Quinshon Judkins. Judkins is one of the most talented runners in the sport, but Kiffin has curated a committee backfield that should compensate for the loss of production.

The Rebels successfully complemented their returning offensive talent while essentially bringing in a whole new defense via the portal. We will have to wait and see if the Rebels can make it work on the field, but on paper, this roster could compete with some of the best teams in the nation in 2024.

The entire post-spring SEC power rankings can be found below.

1. Georgia

2.     Texas

3.     Ole Miss

4.     Alabama

5.     LSU

6.     Missouri

7.     Tennessee

8.     Oklahoma

9.     Texas A&M

10.  Auburn

11.  Florida

12.  Kentucky

13.  South Carolina

14.  Arkansas

15.  Mississippi State

16.  Vanderbilt