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The University of Mississippi Athletics
NFL Rebels Update: Week 17
12/31/2019 | Football
A.J. Brown and D.K. Metcalf Had Amazing Rookie Seasons for Ole Miss
OXFORD, Miss. – Ole Miss was represented well in the NFL this season, highlighted by a dominant rookie class that featured Offensive Rookie of the Year contenders A.J. Brown and D.K. Metcalf. In addition to these two, Ole Miss had several other productive offensive players, including tight ends Dawson Knox and Evan Engram.
Defensively, the most productive NFL Rebels included Mike Hilton, D.J. Jones, and Ken Webster, who all started more than half of the games that they played.
Ole Miss also had great NFL representation in regards to offensive linemen. Laremy Tunsil and Bobby Massie both started at tackle in every game that they respectively played in, while Greg Little and John Jerry each earned a handful of starts. Tunsil was the lone NFL Rebel to be selected to the initial Pro Bowl roster.
In total, 27 NFL Rebels finished the season on an NFL active roster, practice squad, or injured reserve. Here is a look at how each NFL Rebel performed during the 2019 season:
Quincy Adeboyejo | WR | New England Patriots
After spending most of the season as a free agent, Adeboyejo was signed to the Patriots' practice squad in November. He did not make any appearances this season.
Brandon Bolden | RB | New England Patriots
Bolden enjoyed a renaissance season in his return to the Patriots. He scored a career-high four touchdowns while recording 111 receiving yards, 68 rushing yards, and 515 return yards.
A.J. Brown | WR | Tennessee Titans
Brown had a fantastic rookie season and is a candidate for NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. The 2019 second round pick played in all 16 games for the Titans while earning 11 starts. He led all rookies with 1,052 receiving yards and eight receiving touchdowns, while also rushing for 60 yards and a touchdown on three carries.
Fadol Brown | DL | Chicago Bears
Brown played in four games for the Packers before being signed to the Bears' practice squad. He was later placed on injured reserve.
Cody Core | WR | New York Giants
Core played in all 16 games in his first season with the Giants. He played primarily on special teams, but tallied three receptions for 28 yards this season.
Evan Engram | TE | New York Giants
Though his season was limited by injury, Engram was extremely productive for the Giants this season. He played in eight games and recorded 44 receptions for 467 yards and three touchdowns.
Marquis Haynes | DE | Carolina Panthers
Haynes played 11 games in his second NFL season. In total, he recorded 10 tackles, in addition to his first-career sack and his first-career fumble recovery.
Mike Hilton | CB | Pittsburgh Steelers
Hilton played in 16 games this season, making a career-high eight starts. Throughout the season, Hilton recorded 63 tackles, 1.5 sacks, and one forced fumble.
Lavon Hooks | DE | Pittsburgh Steelers
Hooks was placed on injured reserve at the start of the season after being signed to the Steelers' practice squad.
John Jerry | G | Cincinnati Bengals
After missing the 2018 season, Jerry played in 11 games and earned five starts in his debut season with the Bengals.
D.J. Jones | DL | San Francisco 49ers
Jones started all 11 games that he played in for the 49ers, but was placed on injured reserve with an ankle injury in December. Jones set career-highs across the board in his third NFL season, recording 23 tackles, two sacks, and four tackles for loss.
Chad Kelly | QB | Indianapolis Colts
Kelly was signed to the Colts' practice squad at the beginning of the season, before being promoted to the active roster as the third string quarterback. He did not play in any games this season.
Dawson Knox | TE | Buffalo Bills
Knox played in 15 games during his rookie campaign, earning 11 starts for the Bills. In total, Knox recorded 28 receptions for 388 yards and two touchdowns.
Greg Little | OT | Carolina Panthers
Little's rookie season was cut short due to injury, but in total he played in four games for Carolina while earning three starts at tackle.
DaMarkus Lodge | WR | Cincinnati Bengals
After being a free agent for most of the season, Lodge was signed to the Bengals' practice squad in December. He did not play in any games this season.
Eli Manning | QB | New York Giants
Manning played in four games this season, throwing for 1,042 yards and six touchdowns. His NFL future is uncertain, but right now Manning ranks seventh all-time in passing yards (57,023) and passing touchdowns (366).
Bobby Massie | OT | Chicago Bears
Massie started all 10 games that he played in this season. An ankle injury kept him sidelined after week 12.
D.K. Metcalf | WR | Seattle Seahawks
Metcalf had an exceptional rookie season for the playoff-bound Seahawks. The 2019 second round pick played in all 16 games, earning 14 starts. He totaled 58 receptions for 900 yards and seven touchdowns.
C.J. Moore | S | Detroit Lions
Moore played in all 16 games for the Lions during his rookie season, primarily on special teams. He recorded one tackle during the season.
A.J. Moore | S | Houston Texans
Moore played in all 16 games for the Texans, primarily on special teams. He made two tackles during his second NFL season.
Javon Patterson | C | Indianapolis Colts
Patterson missed his entire rookie season with an ACL injury.
Bradley Sowell | TE | Chicago Bears
Sowell converted to a tight end this season and played in six games for the Bears, earning one start.
Breeland Speaks | LB | Kansas City Chiefs
Speaks missed his second season after a knee injury caused him to be placed on injured reserve before the season started.
Laquon Treadwell | WR | Minnesota Vikings
Treadwell played in all 13 games after he was signed back to the Vikings after week three. He earned one start, while recording nine receptions for 184 yards and one touchdown in his fourth NFL season.
Laremy Tunsil | OT | Houston Texans
Tunsil was traded to the Texans before the season and started all 14 games that he played in this season.
Jordan Wilkins | RB | Indianapolis Colts
Wilkins played in 14 games during his second NFL season. He ran for 307 yards and two touchdowns on 51 carries (6.0 YPC) while also hauling in seven receptions for 43 yards.
Ken Webster | CB | Miami Dolphins
Webster was productive during his rookie season, playing in only eight games because he was hampered by injury. In total, he made five starts and recorded 19 tackles.
Defensively, the most productive NFL Rebels included Mike Hilton, D.J. Jones, and Ken Webster, who all started more than half of the games that they played.
Ole Miss also had great NFL representation in regards to offensive linemen. Laremy Tunsil and Bobby Massie both started at tackle in every game that they respectively played in, while Greg Little and John Jerry each earned a handful of starts. Tunsil was the lone NFL Rebel to be selected to the initial Pro Bowl roster.
In total, 27 NFL Rebels finished the season on an NFL active roster, practice squad, or injured reserve. Here is a look at how each NFL Rebel performed during the 2019 season:
Quincy Adeboyejo | WR | New England Patriots
After spending most of the season as a free agent, Adeboyejo was signed to the Patriots' practice squad in November. He did not make any appearances this season.
Brandon Bolden | RB | New England Patriots
Bolden enjoyed a renaissance season in his return to the Patriots. He scored a career-high four touchdowns while recording 111 receiving yards, 68 rushing yards, and 515 return yards.
A.J. Brown | WR | Tennessee Titans
Brown had a fantastic rookie season and is a candidate for NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. The 2019 second round pick played in all 16 games for the Titans while earning 11 starts. He led all rookies with 1,052 receiving yards and eight receiving touchdowns, while also rushing for 60 yards and a touchdown on three carries.
Fadol Brown | DL | Chicago Bears
Brown played in four games for the Packers before being signed to the Bears' practice squad. He was later placed on injured reserve.
Cody Core | WR | New York Giants
Core played in all 16 games in his first season with the Giants. He played primarily on special teams, but tallied three receptions for 28 yards this season.
Evan Engram | TE | New York Giants
Though his season was limited by injury, Engram was extremely productive for the Giants this season. He played in eight games and recorded 44 receptions for 467 yards and three touchdowns.
Marquis Haynes | DE | Carolina Panthers
Haynes played 11 games in his second NFL season. In total, he recorded 10 tackles, in addition to his first-career sack and his first-career fumble recovery.
Mike Hilton | CB | Pittsburgh Steelers
Hilton played in 16 games this season, making a career-high eight starts. Throughout the season, Hilton recorded 63 tackles, 1.5 sacks, and one forced fumble.
Lavon Hooks | DE | Pittsburgh Steelers
Hooks was placed on injured reserve at the start of the season after being signed to the Steelers' practice squad.
John Jerry | G | Cincinnati Bengals
After missing the 2018 season, Jerry played in 11 games and earned five starts in his debut season with the Bengals.
D.J. Jones | DL | San Francisco 49ers
Jones started all 11 games that he played in for the 49ers, but was placed on injured reserve with an ankle injury in December. Jones set career-highs across the board in his third NFL season, recording 23 tackles, two sacks, and four tackles for loss.
Chad Kelly | QB | Indianapolis Colts
Kelly was signed to the Colts' practice squad at the beginning of the season, before being promoted to the active roster as the third string quarterback. He did not play in any games this season.
Dawson Knox | TE | Buffalo Bills
Knox played in 15 games during his rookie campaign, earning 11 starts for the Bills. In total, Knox recorded 28 receptions for 388 yards and two touchdowns.
Greg Little | OT | Carolina Panthers
Little's rookie season was cut short due to injury, but in total he played in four games for Carolina while earning three starts at tackle.
DaMarkus Lodge | WR | Cincinnati Bengals
After being a free agent for most of the season, Lodge was signed to the Bengals' practice squad in December. He did not play in any games this season.
Eli Manning | QB | New York Giants
Manning played in four games this season, throwing for 1,042 yards and six touchdowns. His NFL future is uncertain, but right now Manning ranks seventh all-time in passing yards (57,023) and passing touchdowns (366).
Bobby Massie | OT | Chicago Bears
Massie started all 10 games that he played in this season. An ankle injury kept him sidelined after week 12.
D.K. Metcalf | WR | Seattle Seahawks
Metcalf had an exceptional rookie season for the playoff-bound Seahawks. The 2019 second round pick played in all 16 games, earning 14 starts. He totaled 58 receptions for 900 yards and seven touchdowns.
C.J. Moore | S | Detroit Lions
Moore played in all 16 games for the Lions during his rookie season, primarily on special teams. He recorded one tackle during the season.
A.J. Moore | S | Houston Texans
Moore played in all 16 games for the Texans, primarily on special teams. He made two tackles during his second NFL season.
Javon Patterson | C | Indianapolis Colts
Patterson missed his entire rookie season with an ACL injury.
Bradley Sowell | TE | Chicago Bears
Sowell converted to a tight end this season and played in six games for the Bears, earning one start.
Breeland Speaks | LB | Kansas City Chiefs
Speaks missed his second season after a knee injury caused him to be placed on injured reserve before the season started.
Laquon Treadwell | WR | Minnesota Vikings
Treadwell played in all 13 games after he was signed back to the Vikings after week three. He earned one start, while recording nine receptions for 184 yards and one touchdown in his fourth NFL season.
Laremy Tunsil | OT | Houston Texans
Tunsil was traded to the Texans before the season and started all 14 games that he played in this season.
Jordan Wilkins | RB | Indianapolis Colts
Wilkins played in 14 games during his second NFL season. He ran for 307 yards and two touchdowns on 51 carries (6.0 YPC) while also hauling in seven receptions for 43 yards.
Ken Webster | CB | Miami Dolphins
Webster was productive during his rookie season, playing in only eight games because he was hampered by injury. In total, he made five starts and recorded 19 tackles.
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