Rebels RB Quinshon Judkins A Top 25 Player?

Quinshon Judkins enters the year as one of the top players to watch on ESPN's list.

When the Ole Miss Rebels landed the commitment of three-star running back Quinshon Judkins from Pike Road, Ala., most SEC fans considered him an afterthought. 

Now, he the first thought on every defensive coordinator's mind when it comes to game planning on Saturdays. Even the national pundits are starting to take notice of what No. 4 can do with a ball in his hands. 

ESPN recently released its top 100 players for the 2023 season, with Judkins landing in the top 25 at No. 22. He was the fourth-running back on the list, trailing Michigan's Blake Corum (No. 7) and Donovan Edwards (No. 17) and Arkansas' Raheim "Rocket" Sanders (No. 18). 

The only freshman running back to rush for more yards in the SEC than Judkins a year ago was Herschel Walker in 1980. Judkins is coming off a 1,567-yard season and had eight 100-yard games to go along with 16 rushing touchdowns. He's a breakaway threat and also a tough, physical runner between the tackles. - ESPN 

Expected to be the No. 3 tailback behind transfers Zach Evans and Ulysses Bentley, Judkins' rise to prominence was a slow burn. By Week 3, he was averaging over 15 carries per game and consistently was making trips to the end zone.

Judkins' 16 rushing touchdowns tied Kayo Dottley for a single-season record in program history, and his eight 100-yard games marked a new record for a Rebel freshman. 

“You’ve got to remember, he was just a true freshman,” Rebels coach Lane Kiffin said this spring. “That’s really amazing what he was able to do. Now, he can take the next step. We run different plays with him now than we did. Now, you have a spring where they know stuff."

Ole Miss, which finished 2022 8-5, is looking to build its offense around the run game, with Judkins being the centerpiece. The Rebels ranked No. 3 nationally in rushing yards (256.5 yards per game) and No. 10 in yards per attempt (5.43). They also returned Bentley and added former Georgia Tech runner Jam Griffin. 

The Rebels also fortified the backfield with youth with the commitment of Kedrick Reescano out of New Caney (Texas). 

"It’s a really good competition for those guys to compete for carries," said offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. 

Everything starts and ends with Judkins in Oxford. The Rebels, listed as the nation's No. 22 program in the initial preseason AP Poll, expect to go on a run through the SEC West in hopes of claiming their first division title.

Expect Judkins to be at the forefront of conversations for individual awards, too. Corum, who rushed for over 1,400 yards and 18 scores, will be the favorite to win the Doak Walker Award but expect others to push for the title of the nation's top runner. 

Kiffin once said he sees traits of USC great and former pupil Reggie Bush in Judkins. While ESPN isn't comparing the two, the company looks to be all-in on Judkins' potential. 

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