Deuce Alexander didn’t waste any time showing what Ole Miss wants its No. 1 receiver to look like. Early against Charlotte, he caught a short pass, sized up a defender and shoved him all the way to the ground. It was the kind of stiff‑arm that sets a tone for an entire offense.
“It was definitely an emphasis in film, just setting the tone and being dominant,” Alexander said at his Tuesday press conference. “A lot of people on the outside and inside call me small, but I play big. It was just an emphasis to go out there and, no matter your size, be a dog, be who you are and be a killer.”
That play fits the role he’s stepped into. Alexander isn’t just wearing the No. 1 jersey. He’s earning it.
Through two games, he leads Ole Miss in every major receiving category with 13 catches for 235 yards and two touchdowns. He’s averaging 18.10 yards per catch and already has two 62‑yard receptions.
Those are the basic stats, though. They get even more impressive when you look at some advanced stats.
More than a third of Ole Miss’ passing yards belong to him. He’s caught 86.7 percent of his targets despite an 11.5‑yard average depth of target, and he’s averaging 15.7 yards every time the ball comes his way. SEC StatCat credits him with +1.089 EPA per target and an 80 percent success rate. He already has 34.4 percent of last season’s receiving total.
That’s what a No. 1 receiver looks like.
“I kind of just sat back and took it all in,” Alexander said about being the No. 1 receiver. “It’s on me now. I just have to go out there, believe in my work, believe in my preparation and believe in what my OC is saying. Trinidad (Chambliss) and I talk through everything on the sideline. We talk through every play, coverages and looks. Last game, there was a read I was supposed to make that I didn’t make, and Trinidad and I had to get on the same page on the sideline. The next drive, we had a completion. Things like that have helped me step into a bigger role.”
He knows younger receivers are watching him, and he’s acting like someone who understands what the job requires.
“With Caleb, it’s just keeping him under my wing because we’re going to need him at some point this season,” Alexander said. “He just has to stay focused, stay locked in and understand that you never know when your number is going to be called. Just be ready to go out there and do your job.”
“With Johntay, it’s just telling him to stay patient. Everything isn’t coming to him right now, but it will eventually as the season goes on. Just keep practicing hard, keep talking to the coaches and the quarterback, and keep believing. Good things will come.”
He sees the entire room growing with him, not behind him.
“I’ve seen all of them take a big step from the spring,” Alexander said. “Guys like Horatio, Taylor Ray and Johntay are on the same level as me from a leadership standpoint. We all keep each other accountable, hold each other accountable, coach the younger guys and work together to make sure we’re a unit on the field. It isn’t just one guy taking off and the other guys falling behind. Everybody is working together.”
Alexander is playing big, leading big and producing like the top receiver Ole Miss needs. The jersey number comes with expectations. Through two weeks, he’s meeting every one of them.
