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Ole Miss Football: Top 5 spring 2019 breakout candidates

By Connor Muldowney

OXFORD, MS - SEPTEMBER 02: Head coach Matt Luke of the Mississippi Rebels takes the field before a game against the South Alabama Jaguars at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on September 2, 2017 in Oxford, Mississippi. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
OXFORD, MS - SEPTEMBER 02: Head coach Matt Luke of the Mississippi Rebels takes the field before a game against the South Alabama Jaguars at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on September 2, 2017 in Oxford, Mississippi. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) /
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OXFORD, MS – SEPTEMBER 8: C.J. Miller #8 of the Mississippi Rebels greets fans during the walk into the stadium before a game against the Southern Illinois Salukis at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on September 8, 2018 in Oxford, Mississippi. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
OXFORD, MS – SEPTEMBER 8: C.J. Miller #8 of the Mississippi Rebels greets fans during the walk into the stadium before a game against the Southern Illinois Salukis at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on September 8, 2018 in Oxford, Mississippi. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images) /

Say goodbye to Zedrick Woods in the secondary and hello to CJ Miller. The latter is going to have some big shoes to fill as Woods finished his final season second on the team in total tackles with 79 to go along with first in interceptions (2) and third is pass deflections (4).

Ole Miss can’t get much worse against the pass, though. The Rebels allowed over 260 yards passing per game to opponents and while that wasn’t totally on Woods, a fresh look can only help matters.

Miller is entering his junior year and he’s getting his first opportunity to take over as a starting safety in the defensive backfield. He sat behind Woods last season but still managed to record 28 tackles and a fumble recovery. He didn’t have any stats against the pass — interceptions or defended passes — but that will change this season.

The former three-star in Ole Miss’ 2017 class stands 6-1 and weighs in at about 190 pounds and can be a major piece to the improvement puzzle.

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