Position Previews: The Ole Miss Linebacker Room Provides Remarkable Depth

For the next seven days, we're taking a position group-by-position group breakdown of the Ole Miss football roster. On Saturday, that journey takes us to the deepest position group – the linebackers.

Training camp is breathing down our necks. The Rebels are set to open camp here in Oxford for the first time on Monday.

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. 

For the next seven days, we're taking a position group-by-position group breakdown of the Ole Miss football roster. On Saturday, that journey takes us to the deepest position group – the linebackers.

But the depth at linebacker is interesting, as you will soon read. The inside grouping may be both the best and deepest position group on the whole team. The outside group presents questions. 

Inside Linebackers: 

Returning Starters: Lakia Henry (Sr.), Jacquez Jones (Jr.), MoMo Sanogo (Sr.)

Success, or lack thereof, of the Ole Miss defense is going to start and end with this group. This group of Henry, Jones and Sanogo could very well be the three best players on the entire Rebel defense, and will likely be on the field together quite a bit. 

In a 4-3, it's expected Henry will operate as the mike, with Sanogo at the sam and Jones at the will linebacking roles. Obviously, with the multiplicity of the Ole Miss Defense we're going to see, they won't always be in the 4-3 or in those roles, but the Rebels are going to be best off when these three are all on the field.

With Sam Williams likely suspended for some time, we'll get to that later in this story, Jacquez Jones is the leading returner for Ole Miss in both 2019 sacks (2) and tackles for loss (7.5). Henry started every game last year for Ole Miss, leading the team with 88 tackles. Sanogo, after starting the season as a Preseason All-SEC player, suffered a season-ending ankle injury in the second game of the year. 

Mississippi Rebels linebacker MoMo Sanogo speaks to the media at the Hyatt Regency-Birmingham. Mandatory Credit: Vasha Hunt-USA TODAY Sports

Returning Contributors: Donta Evans (RS Sr.)

Evans saw action in every game one season ago, making two starts. He'll be a critical backup that will see the field often in fatigue relief but has more than enough experience to fill in as a quality starter in case of injury.

Other Returners: Ashanti Cistrunk (So.), Eric Jeffries (RS Fr.)

As a true freshman in 2019, Cistruck played in all 12 games for Ole Miss, although primarily doing so on special teams. Jeffries saw no action during his redshirt year as a freshman. 

Newcomers: Daylen Gill (Fr.), Austin Keys (Fr.)

Both Keys and Gill are three-star freshman from Mississippi. In a room as deep as the Rebel inside linebacker room, it's very unlikely they will be called on to contribute as freshmen.  

Outside Linebackers: 

Returning Starters: None

Sam William's legal issues deal a huge blow to this column. For more on that, see below. 

Returning Contributors: Luke Knox (RS So.)

Luke Knox saw playing time in every game last year at outside linebacker. It's good to get someone returning with experience, but Knox didn't exactly wow anyone with his time on the field a year ago, recording just ten total tackles and two tackles for loss in 12 games.

Luke Knox bends the edge in the Ole Miss home opener against Arkansas (Josh McCoy, Ole Miss Athletics)

Other Returners: Brandon Mack (RS Fr.)

A former three-star recruit out of Alabama, Mack redshirted last year as a true freshman and saw no playing time while doing so. 

Newcomers: Demon Clowney (Fr.), Tavius Robinson (Jr. transfer), Jakivuan Brown (Fr.), Cedric Johnson (Fr.)

Ole Miss is going to have to draw from this crowd for significant contribution right away, something you don't exactly want to do with four guys with no SEC playing experience. 

The two the have the most realistic shot of seeing immediate time are Demon Clowney and Robinson. Clowney, the cousin of NFL Star Jadeveon Clowney, was the pride of the 2020 Ole Miss recruiting class. A unanimous four-star prospect at defensive end, Clowney was originally an LSU commit. 

Robinson is one of the more interesting players on the entire Ole Miss roster. A transfer from Guelph, Ontario in Canada, he stands 6-foot-8, weighs 240-pounds and coaches say he runs a 4.60 40-yard dash. 

"He's a special player for sure, there's no question. The physical tools that he's been blessed with speak for themselves," said Brian Cluff, Robinson's defensive line coach at Guelph. "A player of Tavius' caliber and ability, we don't see it. He's the first player that I've seen over the years with that capabilities."

Suspended: Sam Williams (Sr.)

Ole Miss is still leaving Williams suspended indefinitely pending a sexual battery investigation. He is the team's only returning starter at the outside linebacker position and led the 2019 Rebels in sacks and tackles for loss. 

Williams was booked by the Lafayette County Sheriff's Department on July 24 at 9:39 a.m. and was released on a $25,000 bond later that afternoon. At last speaking to a AD Keith Carter, the school will leave him suspended until the results from the legal investigation return.  

More From The Grove Report:

Position Previews: Breaking Down the Ole Miss Defensive Line

WATCH: Top 3 Ole Miss Football Storylines As We Approach Training Camp

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