OXFORD, Miss — Playing in the NFL is something many kids dream about, but very few get to achieve. On Wednesday, 17 former Ole Miss players got a step closer to achieving that very dream at the Rebels' Pro Day.
The players turned things on before 45 NFL scouts from all 32 teams, two Canadian Football League scouts and one Japan X-League scout.
An impressive performance at a Pro Day can be the difference between a player getting drafted or going as an undrafted free agent. The idea of getting drafted in less than a month is a feeling that is almost indescribable.
"It would probably be a pretty emotional experience," Cedric Johnson said. "That's been my dream for as long as I can remember, so it will be a pretty great feeling to say the least."
Johnson, Daijahn Anthony and Deantre Prince were all invited to the NFL Combine last month and produced decent numbers, but Wednesday gave them another chance to both improve in some areas and cement in the scouts' minds that they deserve a shot.
Johnson is predicted to be the highest draft pick for the Rebels this season, and he told ABC24 he's speaking with at least six different teams right now. Prince is also talking with several teams and has visits lined up in the next couple of weeks, while Anthony has a visit planned with Cincinnati along with expecting to go to Houston and Washington.
"Everybody knows I've got the speed to play in the NFL, so I just got to keep getting ready for this process," Anthony said. "I've got a couple of top 30 visits, and then we'll see where we go."
"I'm ready man," Prince said. "Whatever it takes to be the best corner I can be in life, best man I can be in life, I'm ready to create generational wealth for my family."
Dayton Wade is one of the 17 who also has scouts' heads on a swivel. The wide receiver ran the fastest 40 all day at 4.44. Combine that time with some insane catches this season, and he's in a prime spot to get picked up.
This was something many thought would never happen after he left a scholarship spot at Western Kentucky to join Ole Miss as a walk-on.
"Now I'm looking back and I'm like dang, I really took the risk," Wade said. "First few weeks here, I wasn't eating. I was struggling, but to know that it's finally paying off, it's definitely crazy. It's definitely surreal."
In the history of Ole Miss football, 312 players have been drafted to the NFL.
The NFL Draft on ABC begins April 25-27 in Detroit.
See the full list of participating former Rebel players below:
Daijahn Anthony, Ashanti Cistrunk, DeShawn Gaddie Jr., Jeremiah Jean-Baptiste, Cedric Johnson, Jalen Knox, Quincy McGee, Monty Montgomery, Deantre Prince, Spencer Sanders, Isaac Ukwu, Dayton Wade, Zamari Walton, Stephon Wynn Jr. and Teja Young all took part in the annual event. Former Rebels Jordan Wilkins (2014-15; 2017) and Isaiah Woullard (2018-22) also participated.
