Defense was a priority in the 2017 recruiting class for Hugh Freeze and his staff after Ole Miss allowed an SEC-worst 34 points per game last season. As a result, four of the top five players in the class play on the defensive side of the ball.

And seeing as the Rebels need help over there immediately; it only made sense that three of the four junior-college players who signed are defensive guys.

All three of those players – defensive end Markel Winters, linebacker Brenden Williams and cornerback Javien Hamilton – are on campus now and should have a chance to get on the field early for Ole Miss. But more help will arrive this summer, including D.D. Bowie – the top-rated recruit in the class.

Listed at wide receiver by ESPN, Bowie is expected to start out at cornerback, where the coaches believe he can make an immediate impact for the Rebels.

“[There was some question there] early on,” Freeze said. “I watched his tape, and while he can be a really good receiver, the length and flexibility and change of direction he has, if he’s able to adjust to the corner spot, I think the potential is really off the charts.

"There are very few long corners like him who are as athletic as he is, and there’s an immediate need there for us. I think he likes that idea. We’re going to get him the ball, and punt returns, kickoff returns, we think he can fill a void there, too.”

Cornerback was an area where Ole Miss struggled last year, especially after losing Ken Webster for the season in the first game. By the end of the year, the Rebels were starting Derrick Jones, a converted wide receiver, opposite a redshirt freshman. With Jones graduating – along with Tony Bridges – and no update on Webster’s status, there’s a chance for Bowie to compete for a starting spot or at least crack the rotation next to Jaylon Jones and Jalen Julius.

As for Bowie, he nearly didn’t sign with the Rebels. The former Alabama commitment who flipped to Ole Miss in October 2015 said he would “find somewhere else” if the school hadn’t received their punishment from the NCAA by national signing day.

However, the Mississippi native stuck to his commitment, and Ole Miss fans should be glad he did. He’s a major piece in helping turn around the defense.