Ole Miss Practice Observations: Jaxson Dart Impresses, 'Jam' Griffin Shows Flashes
OXFORD, Miss. -- The Ole Miss Rebels got right back into practices on Monday after holding their first fall scrimmage over the weekend and the offense put together an impressive showing during drills.
The Rebels' new-look defense kept the offense in check during the scrimmage on Saturday with aggressive play-calling, but Monday was a new day for the unit.
Below are my observations and notes from Monday's practice on the Ole Miss offense.
Playmakers Doning Black Jerseys
The black jersey can signify a player is dealing with an injury, but it can also be a sign that the team is taking a precaution with an athlete. On Monday, receiver Jordan Watkins, running back Ulysses Bentley IV, and tight end Caden Prieskorn were the notable players on offense wearing black.
It should be noted that Bentley was still active during running back drills.
Offensive Line Still Banged Up
The Rebels have been dealing with injuries along their offensive line throughout camp, and that trend continued on Monday. Reece McIntyre was taking snaps on Monday in place of Caleb Warren and the senior held his own with the first team O-line.
Former transfer Victor Curne received reps with the second offensive line unit at left tackle, showing off his versatility which was highly lauded during the offseason.
Receivers Create Separation
With Watkins taking it easy on Monday, senior Dayton Wade got a lot more looks with the first team and caught the first pass thrown by quarterback Jaxson Dart for a first down. Wade was featured in a lot of pre-snap motion to help misdirect defenders and is shaping up to have a larger role in the offense this season.
With the second team, Jalen Knox was lined up opposite cornerback DeShawn Gaddie. The 6-foot-1, 190-pound corner showed off sticky coverage, but Knox was still able to break free on occasion. Knox created enough separation on one play to pick up a huge gain courtesy of a ball thrown by Spencer Sanders, who was the quarterback for the second team. Knox was Sanders' go-to guy throughout drills.
During red zone drills, true freshman Ayden Williams stole the show with his ability to high point the ball in the endzone. On one play, Dart threw a pass on the run to Williams in the back corner of the endzone and the freshman made an acrobatic move in midair before bringing in the pass with one hand.
Dart and Other QBs Impress
Dart continued his campaign for the starting quarterback role on Monday with some impressive intermediate throws and also posited great chemistry with the wideouts. Defensive lineman Jared Ivey got in Dart's face on one particular play, but the latter was still able to put the ball on target. Sanders had a few overthrows but overall was on target.
17-year-old true freshman Austin Simmons threw some beautiful passes during drills and showed off his touch on a pass to Wade in the back of the end zone. Give the kid a full year in Kiffin's system, and he could be lights out by the time the 2024 season rolls around.
Jamious 'Jam' Griffin Shows Flashes and Judkins Continues to Grow as Receiver
It has been a quick turnaround for running back Jamious Griffin since he committed to Ole Miss last week via the NCAA Transfer Portal. The former Oregon State Beaver got his first reps in an Ole Miss uniform on Monday showing off his quick feet and smooth change of direction. 'Jam' got reps in with the first team offense and should have a more established role in the offense once he gets the playbook down.
Quinshon Judkins has been vocal about being an option in Ole Miss' aerial attack and the tailback showed steady hands on Monday. Judkins caught a pass on an out route and glided past defenders for a big gain before making an impressive snag in the endzone off a corner route.
You can follow Ben King on Twitter at @BKing_2023.
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