Three Ole Miss Rebels Named Semifinalists For Prestigious College Football Awards

Jaxson Dart, Pooh Paul and Walter Nolen all earned some individual recognition on Tuesday.

Nov 2, 2024; Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA; Ole Miss Rebels linebacker Chris Paul Jr (11) celebrates as defensive end Jared Ivey (15) falls on a loose ball in the end zone for a touchdown in the first quarter against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images / Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

Football is a team sport, and the Ole Miss Rebels look to be one of the hottest teams in the country at the moment after taking down the Georgia Bulldogs last Saturday. With team success, however, comes individual success as well.

On Tuesday, Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart, linebacker Chris "Pooh" Paul Jr. and defensive lineman Walter Nolen were all recognized for their seasons of production so far.

Jaxson Dart was named a Maxwell Award semifinalist which honors the top collegiate player in the country, and later on Tuesday, he earned the distinction of being named a Davey O'Brien Award semifinalist, an honor that goes to the country's top quarterback.

Dart is one of 16 players to be called a semifinalist for the Maxwell Award, joining some truly elite company in the process. Dart leads the nation in total yards per game with 371.3 and ranks second in passing yards, third in yards per completion, fourth in passing yards per game, sixth in touchdown passes, and seventh in completion percentage. Plus, Dart has become the winningest quarterback in Ole Miss history with a record of 26-9.

Walter Nolen and Pooh Paul were named semifinalists for the Bednarik Award, and they lead an outstanding defensive unit in Oxford where Paul leads the team in tackles and has also racked up 10 TFLs to go along with his 2.5 sacks at inside linebacker. Nolen's stats might not jump off the page, but he has been doing the dirty work for this elite Ole Miss defensive front.

Nolen takes on double teams up front, leaving guys like Jared Ivey, Princely Umanmielen, Sunatrine Perkins and JJ Pegues free to wreak havoc. Nolen has also been getting his due with 7.5 TFLs and four sacks plus two fumble recoveries, a big one coming in the second half against the Bulldogs last week.

While the Rebels' main objective is a National Championship run, these Rebels could be in line to make some individual history in the process. Ole Miss is off this week before hitting the road to take on the Florida Gators on Nov. 23.