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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Football 2018 Position Previews: Wide Receivers and Tight Ends
8/20/2018 | Football
Ole Miss Returns One of Nation’s Premier Receiving Corps
This is the fourth of an eight-part position-by-position preview series looking ahead at what the Ole Miss Rebels' depth chart might look like for the 2018 season.
With five lettermen returning from last year's group, including the star-studded trio of A.J. Brown, DaMarkus Lodge and D.K. Metcalf, the Ole Miss wide receiving corps figures to be one of the best and deepest in college football.
Ole Miss is the only team in the country with three returning receivers who hauled in seven or more touchdowns during the 2017 season.
Brown, an All-America selection by the Associated Press and Phil Steele, totaled 75 catches for an Ole Miss single-season record 1,252 yards. Lodge caught 41 balls for 698 yards and seven touchdowns. Lodge tallied two multiple touchdown games and went over the 100-yard receiving mark twice. Metcalf tallied 39 catches for 646 yards and seven touchdowns on his way to earning SEC All-Freshman honors.
Sophomore Braylon Sanders and seniors Alex Weber and Floyd Allen also return for the Rebels. The next wave of the N.W.O. has also been impressive throughout fall camp. Demarcus Gregory, Elijah Moore and Miles Battle are incoming freshmen who have shown flashes during practice and are expected compete for snaps this fall.
Dawson Knox leads the way for the Ole Miss tight end group. Knox tallied 10 catches for 324 yards in 10 games in 2017. The former walk-on is poised for a big season, and he has talent around him in the tight end room.
Junior Octavious Cooley was named Most Improved during the spring, and he will return after appearing in 10 contests in 2017, hauling in four catches for 66 yards. Jason Pellerin, Alex Faniel and Gabe Angel add depth to the position.
RECEIVERS
Top Performers: A.J. Brown (75 catches, 1,252 yards, 11 touchdowns), DaMarkus Lodge (41 catches, 698 yards, seven TDs) & D.K. Metcalf (39 catches, 646 yards, seven TDs)
Returning in 2018: Brown (Jr., 2L), Lodge (Sr., 3L), Metcalf (So.,1L), Braylon Sanders (So., 1L), Floyd Allen (Sr., 1L), Jared Farlow (Fr., RS), Josh Ricketts (Fr., RS), Alex Weber (Sr., 3L), Drake Beck (Fr., RS)
Newcomers in 2018: Demarcus Gregory (Fr., Duncan, S.C.), Elijah Moore (Fr., Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), Miles Battle (Fr., Houston, Texas), Ryan Drew (Jr., Co-Lin CC), Jacob Carter (So., East Central CC)
Departures from 2017: Markell Pack (Graduation), Van Jefferson (Transfer), Tre Nixon (Transfer).
TIGHT ENDS
Top Performer: Dawson Knox (10 catches, 324 yards)
Returning in 2018: Knox (Jr., 2L), Octavious Cooley (Jr., 2L), Jason Pellerin (Jr., 2L), Jacob Mathis (So., SQ), Gabe Angel (So., 1L), Nick Haynes (So., SQ), Alex Faniel (Fr., RS)
Newcomers in 2018: Nikolas Dean (Fr., Horn Lake, Miss.), Sam Murphey (Fr., Paris, Tenn.)
Losing from 2017 Team: Ty Quick (graduation)
To purchase tickets for the 2018 season, visit OleMissTix.com or call 888-REB-TKTS. Follow Ole Miss Football on Twitter (@OleMissFB), Facebook and Instagram.
With five lettermen returning from last year's group, including the star-studded trio of A.J. Brown, DaMarkus Lodge and D.K. Metcalf, the Ole Miss wide receiving corps figures to be one of the best and deepest in college football.
Ole Miss is the only team in the country with three returning receivers who hauled in seven or more touchdowns during the 2017 season.
Brown, an All-America selection by the Associated Press and Phil Steele, totaled 75 catches for an Ole Miss single-season record 1,252 yards. Lodge caught 41 balls for 698 yards and seven touchdowns. Lodge tallied two multiple touchdown games and went over the 100-yard receiving mark twice. Metcalf tallied 39 catches for 646 yards and seven touchdowns on his way to earning SEC All-Freshman honors.
Sophomore Braylon Sanders and seniors Alex Weber and Floyd Allen also return for the Rebels. The next wave of the N.W.O. has also been impressive throughout fall camp. Demarcus Gregory, Elijah Moore and Miles Battle are incoming freshmen who have shown flashes during practice and are expected compete for snaps this fall.
Dawson Knox leads the way for the Ole Miss tight end group. Knox tallied 10 catches for 324 yards in 10 games in 2017. The former walk-on is poised for a big season, and he has talent around him in the tight end room.
Junior Octavious Cooley was named Most Improved during the spring, and he will return after appearing in 10 contests in 2017, hauling in four catches for 66 yards. Jason Pellerin, Alex Faniel and Gabe Angel add depth to the position.
RECEIVERS
Top Performers: A.J. Brown (75 catches, 1,252 yards, 11 touchdowns), DaMarkus Lodge (41 catches, 698 yards, seven TDs) & D.K. Metcalf (39 catches, 646 yards, seven TDs)
Returning in 2018: Brown (Jr., 2L), Lodge (Sr., 3L), Metcalf (So.,1L), Braylon Sanders (So., 1L), Floyd Allen (Sr., 1L), Jared Farlow (Fr., RS), Josh Ricketts (Fr., RS), Alex Weber (Sr., 3L), Drake Beck (Fr., RS)
Newcomers in 2018: Demarcus Gregory (Fr., Duncan, S.C.), Elijah Moore (Fr., Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), Miles Battle (Fr., Houston, Texas), Ryan Drew (Jr., Co-Lin CC), Jacob Carter (So., East Central CC)
Departures from 2017: Markell Pack (Graduation), Van Jefferson (Transfer), Tre Nixon (Transfer).
TIGHT ENDS
Top Performer: Dawson Knox (10 catches, 324 yards)
Returning in 2018: Knox (Jr., 2L), Octavious Cooley (Jr., 2L), Jason Pellerin (Jr., 2L), Jacob Mathis (So., SQ), Gabe Angel (So., 1L), Nick Haynes (So., SQ), Alex Faniel (Fr., RS)
Newcomers in 2018: Nikolas Dean (Fr., Horn Lake, Miss.), Sam Murphey (Fr., Paris, Tenn.)
Losing from 2017 Team: Ty Quick (graduation)
To purchase tickets for the 2018 season, visit OleMissTix.com or call 888-REB-TKTS. Follow Ole Miss Football on Twitter (@OleMissFB), Facebook and Instagram.
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