Ole Miss Rebels everywhere, and at every level, keep piling up postseason awards in their respective sports.
Add a UFL Defensive Player of the Year to the pile.
Former Rebel footballer Breeland Speaks took home the award — the first since the XFL/USFL merger — on Friday. Speaks led the UFL in sacks (9.5) and tackles for loss (13) for the Michigan Panthers.
Seven of his sacks came in just two games: three in one, and four in another. Speaks appeared in 10 total. The Panthers take on the Stallions this weekend for a berth in the first-ever UFL championship.
Speaks spent two seasons and won a Super Bowl with the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs, who made him their second-round draft selection in 2018. Speaks has been an offseason and/or practice squad member for five NFL teams since 2020. He’s in his second run with Michigan.
Speaks played in every game (with 19 starts) over his last three seasons at Ole Miss. He was an All-SEC second-teamer as a junior — his final year, when he had a career-high 13 tackles against LSU. Seven were solos.
He finished sixth in the SEC in sacks (7.0) and topped Ole Miss in QB hurries (eight). He was second in tackles (67) and TFLs (8.0). Speaks, most memorably, went viral with his fumble recovery, and subsequent wave to the camera, in the Egg Bowl. He declared early for the draft.
Speaks, from Jackson, signed with Ole Miss as a consensus four-star recruit in the class of 2014. He ranked as the No. 179 overall prospect in the nation, as well as the No. 5 player in Mississippi.
OHER, METCALF MAKE CFB HALL OF FAME BALLOT
All-time great Ole Miss offensive linemen Terrence Metcalf and Michael Oher are among the 77 FBS players on the ballot for the 2025 College Football Hall of Fame.
Nine FBS coaches, as well as 101 players and 34 coaches from the divisional ranks, were placed on the list as well. The National Football Foundation (NFF) and College Hall of Fame announced the names June 3.
“Being on the College Football Hall of Fame ballot is a significant honor,” NFF President and CEO Steve Hatchell said in a statement. “Out of the more than 5.7 million individuals who have played college football, only 1,093 players have been inducted. The Hall’s requirement of being a first-team All-American narrows the pool to about 1,500 eligible individuals.
“Being part of this elite group signifies true greatness, and we eagerly await announcing the 2025 College Football Hall of Fame Class early next year.”
The class will be unveiled early next year. An induction ceremony is set for December 9, 2025, while inductees will also be honored at their respective schools.
“Having a ballot and a voice in the selection of the College Football Hall of Fame inductees is one of the most cherished NFF member benefits,” NFF Chairman, and 1989 inductee, Archie Manning, said. Manning is one of the greatest Rebels in program history.
“Our membership, the most knowledgeable and passionate group about college football, engages in the significant responsibility of selecting those who have reached the pinnacle of achievement in our sport.”
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