Back to the Mississippi Rebels Newsfeed

Ole Miss' star-studded defense hinges on its unheralded linebacking corps

NFL prospects are littered across the Rebels' defensive line and secondary, but it's the linebackers -- a group replacing it's top three players from a year ago -- that could make or break the Ole Miss defense.

Under Dave Wommack, the Ole Miss linebackers have often seemed like a makeshift unit... but rarely have they been an ineffective one. Though lacking the NFL prototypes that churn though Alabama, LSU, and Auburn annually, Wommack has combined heady, sure-tackling veterans (Mike Marry, Deterrian Shackleford) with speedy, undersized playmakers (Denzel Nkemdiche, Serderius Bryant) to piece together respectable SEC units.