OXFORD — For a few former Ole Miss players, Thursday through Saturday will be the biggest days of their lives to this point.
The 2023 NFL Draft — which consists of seven rounds — begins Thursday at 7 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN and the NFL Network. A year ago, defensive end Sam Williams was the first Ole Miss player off the board, drafted by the Dallas Cowboys 56th overall (second round). A total of six Rebels were drafted last season.
Here is a look at Ole Miss’s 2023 draft hopefuls. The first five players listed below (Mingo-Heath) were invited to the NFL Combine. A total of eleven players worked out at Ole Miss’ Pro Day in late March. (Not all players invited to the NFL Combine get drafted, and players not invited to the combine get drafted.)
Zach Evans, running back
Evans ran for 936 yards and nine touchdowns in his lone season with the Rebels after transferring from TCU. ESPN analyst Matt Miller has Evans being taken in the fourth round in his mock draft from earlier in the week.
Jonathan Mingo, wide receiver
Mingo was second on the team in receptions and receiving yards last season but has vaulted up the NFL Draft boards in recent weeks, with NFL.com’s Adam Schein saying, “If Mingo goes in Round 2, it’s a steal. And if a team takes him in Round 1, I’ll stand up and applaud the move.” Mingo was named second-team All-SEC in 2022 after catching 51 passes for 861 yards and five touchdowns.
Nick Broeker, offensive lineman
Broeker started three years at Ole Miss, sliding from left tackle to guard as a senior. He was a second-team All-American in 2022. Miller projects Broeker to be taken in the fifth round.
Tavius Robinson, defensive end
Robinson — a native Canadian who started his career at the University of Guelph — had a career-high seven sacks in 2022. At 6-foot-6 and 257 pounds with a 4.66 second 40-yard dash, Robinson was projected to be taken in the sixth round Miller’s mock draft.
Malik Heath, wide receiver
Heath led Ole Miss with 60 catches for 971 yards, his only season with Ole Miss. Prior to his time with the Rebels, Heath played at Mississippi State, where he caught 71 passes for 749 yards and eight touchdowns.
A.J. Finley, safety
Finley was a three-year starter for the Rebels and racked up 245 tackles in his career.
K.D. Hill, defensive tackle
Hill was the 2022 Chucky Mullins Courage Award winner. He played in 47 career games with the Rebels and finished his career with 58 total tackles, four tackles for loss and a sack.
Troy Brown, linebacker
Brown played one season at Ole Miss after a storied career at Central Michigan. Brown led the Rebels in 2022 with 93 tackles.
Otis Reese, defensive back
A transfer from Georgia, Reese played in 29 games for Ole Miss and made 198 total tackles and intercepted two passes. He also had eight passes defended.
Mason Brooks, offensive lineman
Brooks transferred in from Western Kentucky last offseason. He played in all 13 games but did not make a start for Ole Miss. He was All-Conference USA with the Hilltoppers.
Jonathan Cruz, kicker
Cruz was the Rebels’ kicker this season following the suspension of Caden Costa. Cruz, who began his career at Charlotte, made 13 of 15 field goals and was 48 of 49 on PATs.
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