Bruce Feldman’s Freaks List has become one of college football’s most reliable traditions. Every summer, The Athletic rolls out 100 players who make coaches and teammates shake their heads. The definition is simple: the freak athletes. The guys who jump out of the gym, move like they’re built out of springs or run absurd speeds at sizes that shouldn’t allow it.
As Feldman puts it, these are the players “who could jump ridiculously high or far (usually both) or were able to run exceptionally fast for someone who was 325 pounds or 6‑foot‑7.”
This year, Ole Miss wide receiver Deuce Alexander landed at No. 49.
And it fits.
Here’s what Feldman wrote about Alexander:
“The son of former NFL WR Hilton Alexander had a strong first season with the Rebels in 2025 after transferring from Wake Forest, making 44 catches for 684 yards and two TDs and rushing for 122 yards on 19 carries. The 6-0, 180-pound former high school track star, who excelled in the 200- and 400-meter dashes, hit over 23 mph on the GPS and is the fastest man Ole Miss has.”
The Rebels are hoping their freak causes opposing defenses to freak out.
Why freak traits matter
Ole Miss knows exactly what it has in Alexander. The speed is real. The explosiveness is real. The ability to turn a routine play into a chunk gain is real. And the staff believes he’s only scratching the surface.
Alexander does, too.
“It’s about becoming more of a professional because I’m getting toward the end of my college career,” Alexander said. “This could be my last year, and I know the next level is coming soon. That applies both on and off the field. I’m taking better care of my body, asking questions and doing all the little things the right way to become a professional.”
That’s the part that separates freak athletes from freak players. The athleticism gets you noticed. The professionalism gets you drafted.
New OC has a plan to unlock all of it
Last season, Alexander felt boxed in. He lined up outside. He ran hitches and go routes. He got labeled as a contested‑catch guy. It wasn’t wrong, but it wasn’t the whole picture.
This year, under new offensive coordinator John David Baker, the picture is a lot bigger.
“He plans to use me all over the field,” Alexander said. “Last year, I felt like I was mostly playing on the outside. I was either running a hitch or a go route, and I got stuck with the stereotype of being only a contested‑catch guy. The way JDB plans to use me will allow me to show my speed, stretch the field and do different things with the ball in my hands.”
That’s the key. Freak traits only matter if you put them in positions to matter. Baker wants Alexander in motion, in the slot, outside, in space, on crossers, on posts, on screens. He wants defenses to have to find him before they can cover him.
And if Alexander is hitting his top speed, good luck.
The takeaway
Landing at No. 49 on Bruce Feldman’s Freaks List is a national reminder of what Ole Miss already knows. Deuce Alexander is one of the most explosive players in college football, and he’s stepping into an offense designed to showcase every part of his skill set.
He’s faster. He’s smarter. He’s more polished. He’s becoming a professional.
And Ole Miss plans to use him everywhere.
If the Freaks List is the preview, the season might be the full feature.
