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Ole Miss Football: 3 Rebels who’ll make instant impact in the NFL

By Andrew Miller

OXFORD, MS - OCTOBER 14: Running back Jordan Wilkins #22 of the Mississippi Rebels runs the ball after escaping a tackle by defensive lineman Jay Woods #74 of the Vanderbilt Commodores at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on October 14, 2017 in Oxford, Mississippi. (Photo by Michael Chang/Getty Images)
OXFORD, MS - OCTOBER 14: Running back Jordan Wilkins #22 of the Mississippi Rebels runs the ball after escaping a tackle by defensive lineman Jay Woods #74 of the Vanderbilt Commodores at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on October 14, 2017 in Oxford, Mississippi. (Photo by Michael Chang/Getty Images) /
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OXFORD, MS – OCTOBER 28: Cole Kelley #15 of the Arkansas Razorbacks is sacked from behind by Breeland Speaks #9 of the Ole Miss Rebels at Hemingway Stadium on October 28, 2017 in Oxford, Mississippi. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
OXFORD, MS – OCTOBER 28: Cole Kelley #15 of the Arkansas Razorbacks is sacked from behind by Breeland Speaks #9 of the Ole Miss Rebels at Hemingway Stadium on October 28, 2017 in Oxford, Mississippi. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images) /

Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. Defensive End. Pick No. 46. Breeland Speaks. 3. player. 124

Possibly the most questionable draft positions of every Ole Miss product selected came in the middle of the second round, when the Kansas City Chiefs took defensive end Breeland Speaks. In fact, many draft pundits had Speaks going after fellow Ole Miss defensive end Marquis Haynes.

However, that did not prove true and the Chiefs selected a breakout player from the SEC with the first pick they had in the 2018 NFL Draft. Kansas City did have a big need along the defensive line, and a few of their selections really can help build up the front seven.

Speaks jumped from one sack with the Rebels in 2016, to seven sacks in 2017. He set career highs in sacks, total tackles, tackles for loss, and forced fumbles in 2017. That type of improvement is something that NFL teams had to be impressed by.

The group of draft picks for the Chiefs does highlight some overlooked guys even outside of Speaks. That list includes former Texas A&M Aggies safety Armani Watts and Florida State Seminoles defensive lineman Derrick Nnadi. Yet, Speaks is the guy here to fill the spot left by the departed Tamba Hali.

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