Position Previews: Evaluating the Experience in the Ole Miss Secondary

Over the course of two weeks at The Grove Report, we're take a position group by position group breakdown of the Rebel roster, coming in today with the secondary.

Week one of training camp is in the books. 

With the season set to kick off of Sept. 26 and camp about to get underway, it's time to start taking a deeper look at this Ole Miss football roster for 2020.

Over the course of two weeks at The Grove Report, we're take a position group by position group breakdown of the Rebel roster, coming in today with the secondary. 

Returning Starters: Keidron Smith, Jalen Jones, Jon Haynes

In reality, the Ole Miss secondary presents an interesting conundrum. The Rebels bring back a lot of players who have played a lot of SEC snaps. That said, despite the experience, it's a group that hasn't had much success. Ole Miss landed last in the SEC in passing yards allowed in 2019 and second to last in 2018. It's a unit that has experience, but simply needs to play better.

That will all start and finish with the trio of returning upperclassmen. Smith is a junior who's played in every game since showing up on campus as a true freshman in 2018. Jones, coming off an ACL injury that ended his 2018, should be back to 100-percent confidence in that knee after playing in 10 games one year ago. Then there's Haynes, who started 10 games last season after coming to Ole Miss as the nation's No. 5 ranked JUCO safety. The group has experience and leadership for the rest of the young guys that also have a bit of that. 

Smith and Jones will likely be the team's starting outside corners with Haynes at free safety and a guy yet to be named at strong safety (Jay Stanley). 

Returning Contributors: AJ Finley, Jay Stanley, Jalen Jordan

The group of former true freshman. 

AJ Finley, Jay Stanley and Jalen Jordan all played significant snaps as true freshman in 2019. Stanley actually made two starts at strong safety during that season, recording 20 tackles. Finley got DB snaps in all 12 games and Jordan was primarily a special teamer.  Regardless, it's a group that saw extensive SEC action from an early age and can be expected to make another jump into their sophomore seasons. 

Other Returners: Jamar Richardson

Newcomers: Derek Bermudez, Lakevias Daniel 

For all intents and purposes, Richardson can be grouped with the current stack of newbies. He's a former three-star JUCO player who, now a senior, saw no action in 2019. 

The real interesting names in this group is Derek Bermudez and Lakevias Daniel, Lane Kiffin's hand-picked guys in the secondary for 2020. Bermudez was a consensus three-star safety prospect, but one the Ole Miss staff really put a priority on when they showed up to campus in December. He early enrolled and was here in the spring. 

Daniel, on the other hand, was the nation's No. 8 JUCO cornerback recruit and a guy with fantastic ball skills. As a sophomore at Jones College, he recorded three interceptions and three more pass breakups. Both Bermudez and Daniel could be fighting for some playing time despite this being their first year on campus. 

More From The Grove Report:

Behind Enemy Sidelines: Inside Week 1 of Training Camp and Breakout Candidates

Ole Miss is Getting a True Track Star in Latest Commit Drew Donley

Rebels Lane DE Demarcus Smith Over Mississippi State, Tennessee, Others

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