Ole Miss Rebels

Last season, Ole Miss played like a team that was one step from competing with the rest of the conference, but they did not quite have the talent to do so. That being said, head coach Hugh Freeze has done a wonderful job with recent recruiting, especially the 2013 class, who were freshmen last year. Namely, Robert Nkemdiche, Laquon Treadwell, and Laremy Tunsil are superb talents from the 2013 class that performed well as freshman. On top of that, Ole Miss's two leading rushers were only sophomores. The list of other accolades from the youth goes on and on.

Luckily, few of the talented veterans from 2013 have left. Receiver Donte Moncrief, who lead the team in receiving yards before leaving for the NFL, and cornerback Charles Sawyer Jr., who was, in many ways, a poor man's Jason Verrett. Even running back Jeff Scott, who unfortunately could not finish the year due to injury, was a productive player. That being said, Ole Miss is ready for the youth movement.

Top Newcomers

Roderick Taylor, Offensive Guard: After snagging a top linemen like Tunsil last season, snagging another in Taylor is going to make for one hell of an offensive line. Taylor moves well for a man his size and could become an early contributor.

C.J. Hampton, Safety: Top notch safety play is somewhat of an SEC tradition and Hampton is soon to be a part of that brotherhood. His knack for finding the ball will make him a fine heir to Cody Prewitt's throne.

Top Returning Players

Laquon Treadwell, Wide Receiver: Treadwell is arguably the best receiver in the nation. His size, power, and ability in traffic makes him a quarterback's safety blanket. In many ways, Treadwell's 2013 role was much like a Roddy White role, meaning he was used profusely as a short yardage player with ability to fight for extra yards.

Robert Nkemdiche, Defensive Linemen: Though he was slowed down a bit last year because of minor injuries, Nkemdiche is a force. He has the skillset to play both defensive tackle and defensive end, and wreak havoc from both spots.

Position Breakdown

Quarterback: Bo Wallace is a subpar quarterback and is arguably the biggest reason Ole Miss can not overcome the "hump" into top notch SEC play. The tools are certainly there, but he has yet to put the pieces together.

Running Back: The bulk of the carries will be shared between the junior duo of I'Tavius Mathers and Jaylen Walton. Neither of the two are special players, but they will be a productive tandem.

Wide Receiver: Treadwell will easily see the most targets, but the other two top receiver positions will be filled by new faces. Quince Adeboyejo and Vince Sanders are both relatively inexperienced players, but with how much attention Treadwell will draw, their jobs will be much easier.

Tight End: As a freshman last season, Evan Engram was a solid tight end despite only having 21 receptions. Although, after losing two of the program's top three receivers, expect Engram to get more attention from Wallace.

Offensive Tackle: Left tackle Laremy Tunsil is a mauler. He dominates the opposing with raw power, essentially swallowing them if they dare test him. On the other side, first year starter Robert Conyers will take over. He did not start last season, but is just a sophomore and was only a 3-star recruit.

Offensive Guard: Thankfully for Ole Miss, both starting guards are returning. Aaron Morris and Justin Bell will once again make for a solid, experienced guard duo.

Center: The core of Ole Miss's line will be a first year starter in Ben Still. While he is not a poor player, not much should be expected from him.

Defensive End: CJ Johnson is the most underrated defensive end in the country. For the past two seasons, Johnson has been an impressive pass rusher, but school mediocrity and on/off injuries made it tough for him to get reconfiguring. Opposite of him will be Fadol Brown, who did not start last season. Although, expect Nkedmiche to get snaps at that position as well.

Defensive Tackle: Nkemdiche is expected to be the starting defensive tackle even though he will see time as an end. Isaac Gross, last year's nose tackle, will return to start and Byron Bennett will be the player who subs in for Nkemdiche when he is slid outside.

Linebacker: Leading the corps is Robert's brother Denzel Nkemdiche. Though he is not quite the talent his brother is, he's been a key piece for Ole Miss's defensive front. Alongside him will be young stud Temario Strong.

Defensive Backs: Typically, Ole Miss runs with three cornerbacks (field, nickel, and boundary). The youth movement is going to be in full force as sophomores Tony Conner and Derrick Jones take over as the nickel and boundary cornerbacks, respectively. Although, senior Senquez Golden will return as the most experienced of the bunch.

At safety, the talented Cody Prewitt Jr. will be possibly the most influential player on the defense. His command of the back end of the field will be crucial. Next to him will be a solid returning player in Trae Elston.

Biggest Strength

Ole Miss's surge of young starters is a wonderful sign. The younger players being the starters is less of a testament to lack of depth than it is how well Hugh Freeze has been able to rake in top notch recruits. These young players are not only contributors this year, but for a handful of years to come. Of course, they're 2013 may not be their best season, but it will bring incredible hope to the program's future.

Biggest Weakness

With the losses of Donte Moncrief and JaMes Logan, roughly one half of Ole Miss's receiving is gone in an instant. Of course Treadwell is a great talent, but just one man can only make up  for so much. Even tacking on a 600-yard jump in production would not do enough, especially with Bo Wallace at quarterback. He has the tools to be great, but he continues to be an ugly, inaccurate thrower. With this two main factors in mind, expect Ole Miss receiving production to go down.