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3 Ole Miss Players Selected in First Round of ESPN Mock Draft

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Levi Dombro | Last updated Apr 15, 2025 5:02 PM ET

Ole Miss head football coach Lane Kiffin has been labeled an expert recruiter through the transfer portal during his five-year tenure at the helm for the Rebels. In fact, the NFL invited 11 Ole Miss players to the scouting combine this year, and not one of them began their college careers in Oxford.

Among this group, there are several players expected to be early selections in the 2025 NFL Draft. On Tuesday, ESPN experts Field Yates and Mel Kiper Jr. released a three-round mock draft in which defensive tackle Walter Nolen, quarterback Jaxson Dart, and cornerback Trey Amos were all selected in the first round.

Nolen was taken No. 17 overall by the Cincinnati Bengals after a 6.5-sack, 14-tackle-for-loss campaign for the Rebels in 2024. The All-American would be the perfect addition for the Bengals after defensive end Sam Hubbard retired this offseason and star EDGE Trey Hendrickson is in the midst of a contract dispute.

The Cleveland Browns traded back up to No. 29 to select Jaxson Dart, who earned First-Team All-SEC honors during his senior season with the Rebels. Cleveland has no long-term solutions at the quarterback position, so the dual-threat Dart would be a needed addition for this struggling franchise.

Amos landed with the Buffalo Bills at No. 30 overall, placing him on an immediate playoff contender. In his final college season at Ole Miss, he recorded three interceptions and 13 passes defended, so he would provide playmaking ability for a Bills secondary that needs help shutting down star quarterbacks.

Ole Miss had one of the most talented rosters in all of college football last season, and several of them are expected to make a major impact at the next level. While there is still no consensus on exactly where these players will fall, the Rebels should be well-represented on draft night.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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