Why Ole Miss Football Won't Be a 1-Hit NFL Draft Wonder

Football fans better get used to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell talking about Ole Miss because he's going to talk about the Rebels quite a bit on Thursday night.

Three former Ole Miss players are projected to be selected in the first round of the 2016 NFL draft by Bleacher Report NFL draft analyst Matt Miller—offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil (sixth to Baltimore), defensive tackle Robert Nkemdiche (14th to Oakland) and wide receiver Laquon Treadwell (28th to Kansas City). 

The trio of stud underclassmen will make head coach Hugh Freeze's program the talk of the football world on Friday morning.

Get used to it because this program is far from a one-hit draft wonder.

The dirty little secret in Oxford is that, while the 2013 recruiting class that included those three studs set the tone for Freeze's program, the staff has been collecting plenty of talented players who should keep the program in the thick of the draft for years to come.

Justin Ford-USA TODAY Sports

The most notable name in that respect is nickel Tony Conner.

Also a member of the class of 2013, Conner finished second on the team in tackles in 2014 with 69. But a knee injury and subsequent surgeries hampered his true junior season, which prevented him from joining his classmates in the draft pool in 2016.

Make no mistake, though: He has first-round potential as well.

"Conner doesn't get the spotlight he deserves, but it wouldn't surprise if he's in the conversation with Su'a Cravens (USC) and Jalen Ramsey (Florida State) at season's end," Miller told me last April after scouting 2016 prospects. "He's very physical at 6'0" and 217 pounds, and has the instincts to make plays in the box or bail in coverage."

Think about that for a second. 

Miller tabs Ramsey as the third overall selection, while Cravens is tabbed as a second- or third-rounder by NFL.com's Lance Zierlein. Of course, that was prior to his knee injury. But even if he doesn't come back at 100 percent, the 90 percent version of Conner is still impressive.

Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

Under center, Chad Kelly will be one of the highest-profile quarterbacks in next year's draft class—and the scrutiny placed on quarterbacks throughout the draft process gets brighter every year.

Kelly's draft grade was below the second round prior to his performance against Oklahoma State (375 total yards) in the Allstate Sugar Bowl, according to Tim Graham of the Buffalo News. He posted the SEC's third-most prolific individual season in history last year with 4,542 total yards, but the 13 interceptions has scouts questioning his decision-making.

As Daniel Paulling of the Clarion-Ledger noted in November, those interceptions haunted Kelly even during the season.

If he solves that issue, it will be hard for scouts to ignore his arm strength and ability to avoid pressure with his legs. Yes, there are off-the-field concerns. But he has stayed out of trouble since arriving at Ole Miss last January, and two years of success in that department should calm what once were legitimate fears.

Marquis Haynes is another prospect who could make waves in NFL circles whenever he decides to move on.

According to his Ole Miss bio, the 6'3", 220-pound pass-rushing specialist was named a freshman All-American by several outlets following a 2014 season in which he tallied a team-high 7.5 sacks and nine tackles for loss. He followed that up in 2015 by leading the team in sacks (10) and tackles for loss (16.5).

A true junior who was named to the All-SEC second team by the coaches in 2015 and could declare after the 2016 season, Haynes is a perfect fit to stand up in a 3-4 scheme at the next level and provide the pressure that teams in the pass-happy NFL need.

DeMarquis Gates led the Rebels in tackles after taking on more of a role at linebacker in 2015, notching 76 stops and forcing two fumbles. At 6'2", 217 pounds, he's a little undersized to be a linebacker at the NFL level but is a perfect fit as a run-stopping "big nickel" who isn't a liability in coverage.

The Rebels are loaded with potential wide receiver draftees not just in 2017 but beyond.

Damore'ea Stringfellow has the size (6'2", 220 lbs) and speed to be a weapon deep and as a possession receiver over the middle. Quincy Adeboyejo's 6'3" frame makes him a matchup problem.

Youngsters Van Jefferson and Damarkus Lodge don't have the experience in college yet, but don't be surprised if either or both become household names over the next couple of years and state their cases for the next level.

Throw in pass-catching tight end Evan Engram at 6'3", 227 pounds into the mix, and Ole Miss is absolutely loaded with weapons that will raise the eyebrows of scouts for the next half-decade. 

Oh, and of course, there are the stud class of 2016 signees who could follow in the footsteps of their 2013 counterparts, like early enrollee 5-star pro-style passer Shea Patterson and 5-star offensive tackle Greg Little.

In a league starved for proven, established and elite pro-style passers coming out of college, Patterson's arm strength and accuracy will have scouts salivating over him once he decides to move on. Little, a 6'5", 305-pounder, has the size and technique to step in for Tunsil at left tackle as a true freshman.

Ole Miss has players who can not only keep it in the mix in the SEC West but continue the trend that it's likely to establish on Thursday night when several former Rebels realize their professional football dreams.

Quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Statistics courtesy of cfbstats.com unless otherwise noted. Recruiting information courtesy of 247Sports.

Barrett Sallee is the lead SEC college football writer and national college football video analyst for Bleacher Report, as well as a host on Bleacher Report Radio on SiriusXM 83. Follow Barrett on Twitter @BarrettSallee.