OXFORD — After four Ole Miss players were selected last month in the NFL draft, nine more Rebels have been given an opportunity to further their football career in the professional ranks.
Wide receiver Quincy Adeboyejo (Baltimore Ravens), cornerback Tony Bridges (Seattle Seahawks), defensive end Fadol Brown (Oakland Raiders), cornerback/safety Carlos Davis (Baltimore Ravens), running back Akeem Judd (Tennessee Titans), offensive lineman Jeremy Liggins (Seattle Seahawks), and wide receiver Damore’ea Stringfellow (Miami Dolphins) signed with NFL clubs as undrafted free agents.
Defensive back Tony Conner (San Francisco 49ers) and tight end Hunter Thurley (New York Jets) were invited to NFL rookie mini-camps.
Thirteen Rebels — including draftees Evan Engram (first round, New York Giants), D.J. Jones (sixth round, San Francisco 49ers), Derrick Jones (sixth round, New York Jets), and Chad Kelly (seventh round, Denver Broncos) — look to bolster Ole Miss’ presence in the league.
Twenty-three former Rebels were members of NFL teams last year, including four who earned roster spots after going undrafted — Trae Elston (Buccaneers/Browns), Woodrow Hamilton (Patriots), Mike Hilton (Patriots/Steelers), and Channing Ward (Buccaneers).
Playing in 51 games throughout his four years as a Rebel, Adeboyejo finished his career ranked top 20 with 106 receptions. The Cedar Hill, Texas, native caught 11 passes for touchdowns, which sits in a tie for 11th in the Ole Miss record book. He had more than 1,000 yards receiving in his final two seasons in Oxford, including his junior year in which he had 38 catches for 604 yards and seven touchdowns.
Bridges played two seasons at Ole Miss after transferring from Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. He made an immediate impact in the Rebel secondary, starting in 11 games at cornerback as a junior and finishing second on the team with three interceptions. His most memorable interception was an interception return for a touchdown in the 2015 Egg Bowl.
A three-year letterman, Brown racked up 109 tackles during his Ole Miss career, including 16 tackles for loss. He made 21 starts in three seasons, battling a foot injury from the end of his 2015 season and into his senior year. The Charleston, South Carolina, native finished his Rebel career strong by tallying 28 tackles, four-and-a-half tackles for loss, and a sack in the last four games of the 2016 campaign.
A special teams star as one of the fastest players on the team throughout his career, Davis earned four letters at Ole Miss. He had 980 return yards as a Rebel and earned All-Southeastern Conference second-team honors as a senior.
Davis also played cornerback, making five starts in 2016.
After transferring from Georgia Military College, Judd spent two seasons in the Ole Miss backfield and averaged 5.3 yards per carry. He played in every game as a junior and earned the starting nod at running back throughout his senior season. Judd rushed for 826 yards and six touchdows in 2016. He had three 100-yard games.
Liggins played multiple positions in his three years in Oxford. He played offensive tackle as a senior. He played in 29 games and saw time as a 300-pound tight end and backup quarterback in his tenure. He rushed for two touchdowns as a sophomore in 2014.
After transferring from Washington, Stringfellow played two seasons in the Red and Blue, finishing tied for 11th in school history with 11 career touchdown catches. He totaled 1,219 receiving yards on 82 catches in his two-year tenure, ranking top 12 in the SEC in receiving yards (59.7/game), yards per catch (15.6) and touchdowns (six) in 2016.
Conner enjoyed a fantastic four-year career, although his final season-and-a-half was marred by knee problems. As the Rebels’ versatile “Huskie” nickel back, he started 42 of his 43 career games and had 193 tackles, 21 1/2 tackles for loss, 13 passes defended, and two interceptions. He was an All-SEC second team pick in 2014 and a Freshman All-America selection in 2013.
Thurley played in all 25 games as a Rebel after walking on to the team following a transfer from Wofford. The tight end also served on special teams. He had four catches and six tackles in two years.
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