OXFORD, miss. – As we prepare for the first week at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium to kick off the 2024 Ole Miss football season, The Rebel Gang Each day, the team will highlight one player for our Ole Miss 22 rankings, explaining who they are, how they got here and what we expect from each one.
Today we look at player No. 6 on the list, wide receiver Antwane “Juice” Wells.
One year of eligibility remains Juice fountain wants to become a major player in Lane Kiffin’s to increase his value in the NFL Draft and support the Rebels’ passing attack in any way possible.
How did Juice Wells come to Ole Miss?
Juice, like many Division One athletes, was a star in high school, playing at Highland Spring in Richmond, Virginia. In his senior year, he caught 12 touchdowns for 880 yards and was also named first-team all-state, which earned him an offer to play at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia.
When Wells arrived on campus for the Dukes, there was no doubt that the freshman had unlimited potential. During the 2020 season, he averaged 18.3 yards per catch on 33 passes caught, turning heads in programs across the country.
After dominating another year at James Madison and being named to the FCS All-American second team, Wells transferred to South Carolina where he spent two years with the Gamecocks. During his first season in Columbia, Wells became the No. 1 target for Carolina and earned an SEC first-team nomination from the SEC coaches and PFF.
Juice Wells single-handedly beat Clemson 😂 https://t.co/fOfC6lgthK pic.twitter.com/cv4gLfuz0g
— WA🅾️Ⓜ️ (@WAOM_) May 16, 2024
Wells had been gearing up for a successful senior year, getting ready for the NFL. Unfortunately, he broke his foot early in the 2023 season and wasn’t healthy enough to play the entire season. With a year left to play, Juice entered the transfer portal in early December and transferred to Ole Miss two weeks later.
Career prospects
As mentioned, Wells became a notable player from the moment he stepped on the court for JMU, but it’s important to recognize that he developed into a dominant, proven player at both schools he attended.
In his breakout year with the Dukes, Juice posted some of the most impressive stats you’ll ever see from a receiver. He started all 14 games, caught 15 touchdowns and made 33 receptions for 1,250 yards. Despite his success, his style of play and physicality seemingly translated immediately to the SEC in the 2022 season.
Wells was the first South Carolina player to be named to the All-SEC first team since 2018. He caught 928 yards on 68 passes and scored six touchdowns. Most notably, Wells finished the regular season with 308 total yards on 20 passes and a touchdown against two top-ten teams, Tennessee and Clemson.
New Ole Miss WR Juice Wells appears to be almost 100% for the season 👀 pic.twitter.com/fxIGSufyY0
— College Football Headlines (@CFBHeadlines) July 23, 2024
As we mentioned, Juice only played in two games last season due to a foot injury, but there’s no doubt that he has the potential to return as an All-SEC player in an offense loaded with an incredible amount of NFL talent.
On the way to 2024
Juice will begin the season with some of the most talented teammates in the country, including wide receiver Tre Harris, Jordan Watkins, Cayden Lee, Ayden Williams, Micah Davisand other.
It is also worth recognizing the offensive versatility of the tight ends Caden Prieskorn And Dae’Quan Wright, which will attract a considerable amount of attention from the opposing defense. Finally, it can not hurt to mention that the man who throws the ball, Jaxson Dartis entering his third year in Kiffin’s offense and is a candidate for the Heisman Trophy.
Get to work 🧃@juicew3lls | #HotToddy pic.twitter.com/U0Yv8XxJbo
— Ole Miss Football (@OleMissFB) 24 August 2024
Considering how fall training camp went for Juice, the media was unable to see the receiver in live action due to his injury recovery, but according to Ole Miss football’s Instagram page, Wells was a full-time participant in the Rebels’ tryout game on Saturday night and should be ready to face Furman next week.
Juice brings an underrated amount of talent to the field that hasn’t been seen in nearly a full year and that you can be sure will be on full display for the Rebels this fall. Hotty Toddy!
Zach Moreth
Zach is a freshman at Ole Miss studying Sports Administration. When he’s not watching and playing sports, he enjoys spending time with his loved ones and being active. I’m excited to help cover our amazing Ole Miss sports teams!
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