From now until the 2025 NFL Draft, we hope to scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top-10 picks, all the way down to Day 3 selections, and priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on Ole Miss interior defensive lineman JJ Pegues.
No. 89, JJ PEGUES, DL, OLE MISS (Redshirt Senior) — 6021, 323 POUNDS
-2025 East-West Shrine Bowl participant
MEASUREMENTS
| Player | Ht/Wt | Hand Size | Arm Length | Wingspan |
| JJ Pegues | 6021, 323 | 9 1/4″ | 33 1/4″ | 78 3/4″ |
| 40-Yard Dash | 10-Yard Dash | Short Shuttle | 3-Cone | |
| N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
| Broad Jump | Vertical | Bench Press | ||
| N/A | N/A | N/A |
THE GOOD
-Explosive athlete on the interior of the defensive line; quick first step to win in the trenches
-Possesses heavy hands at the point of attack; can shock linemen with his punches
-Good feet for the position; able to change directions and vary rushes, tapping into his athleticism
-Plays with real power in the run game; attacks pulling linemen and is largely immovable in the run game
-Versatile lineman that can handle anything from 0-tech to 5-tech along the defensive line; fundamentally sound in all roles
-Quick, explosive spin move that he busts out on the interior, catching guards and centers off guard
-Great closing speed as a pass rusher; chews up ground in a hurry hunting the QB
-Flashes good hand usage as a pass rusher on perimeter; good Superman chop in his tool bag
-Can be a multi-faceted weapon at the next level with his short-yardage experience
THE BAD
-Is limited as a pass rusher when it comes to counters; tends to stall out when first move doesn’t win
-Needs to continue to develop his hand usage as a pass rusher; still developing defensively after move from TE
-Some questions about his motor; tends to not finish plays, could be due to two-way usage and lack of conditioning
-Still very raw as a defensive lineman; doesn’t have the natural awareness other guys in class possess in the trenches
-Limited impact production across three seasons as DL in SEC
-Shorter arms for the position that could hinder him at the next level
BIO
-Named a first-team All-SEC defensive tackle in 2024
-Finished 2024 season with 42 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks; helped contribute to program-record 52 sacks on the year
-Won the Chucky Mullins Award at Ole Miss in 2024, honoring former player who was paralyzed in a game in 1989
-Featured in Ole Miss’ jumbo package offensively and rushed 21 times for 69 yards and seven touchdowns
-Played in 38 games across three seasons following transfer to Ole Miss from Auburn ahead of 2022 season
-In 38 games with Rebels, Pegues recorded 110 tackles, 26.5 tackles for loss, 10.0 sacks, and one fumble recovery
-Went to Auburn as a former 3-star tight end, made the transition to defensive line in Spring 2021
-Will turn 24 years old late in rookie season (born Nov. 25, 2001)
TAPE BREAKDOWN
Colorado cornerback Travis Hunter might be the most-hyped two-way, dual-threat player in the 2025 NFL Draft class, and rightfully so, considering he won the Heisman Trophy in 2024 as a receiver and cornerback. Don’t sleep on Ole Miss defensive lineman and short-yardage running back — yes, you read that right — JJ Pegues.
A former 3-star tight end coming out of college who started out at Auburn, Pegues made the transition to the defensive line in the spring of 2021, then transferred to Ole Miss and put together a solid career with the Rebels.
As part of a deep, talented defensive line class, Pegues won’t stand out in the crowd, and his numbers won’t pop off the screen, but on tape, there’s a lot to like about the versatile, explosive defensive lineman.
Though he measures in at 6027, 323 pounds, and has just 33 1/4″ arms, profiling more as a nose tackle or interior defensive lineman, Pegues has plenty of experience lining up outside of the tackle as a pass rusher.
Look at the way he’s able to hit this Superman cross-chop at his size, winning around the edge against LSU OT Emory Jones for the pressure. You don’t see guys his size moving like this, but this is all over Pegues’ film.
He’s at his best rushing on the interior though.
Pegues has a wicked spin move on the interior when matched up against centers and guards. That’s a lightning-quick move on the interior from a guy weighing 323 pounds. You don’t see that often, but it shows just how athletic and explosive he is.
In these types of situations, the tight end background shows up, just with the way he’s able to move freely, all while carrying his weight and size well.
He has some impressive closing speed when getting after the QB, too.
He’s like a shark that smells blood in the water when he sees the quarterback and has a lane. Pegues is easily able to kick into another gear and chews up ground in a hurry to close the gap.
And once he gets his hands on the quarterback, he’s going down. Very rarely on tape did Pegues miss a tackle, which was rather impressive to see.
It’s not just quarterbacks where the closing speed shows up, either.
There are questions about the motor and the effort level with Pegues, but when he’s locked in defensively, he’s on a different planet when it comes to speed and athleticism with his size.
Watch the way he’s able to track the screen here. Watch how quickly he closes the 5-yard gap here for the tackle for loss against Oklahoma. He can really move.
Where Pegues is at his best is when he’s playing the run. He’s a stout run defender, one that doesn’t get moved off of the spot often. He’s powerful in his lower half and can sit and anchor, tying up space. He’s thunderous against pulling linemen and tight ends, too.
You better bring it against him on the move, or he’s going to destroy you and blow up the play.
That’s against a guard and a tight end in two separate games. Those are teach-tape reps right there against split-zone. Blow things up and show the identity of your defense.
This type of mentality and play style will translate to the next level.
What makes Pegues so unique in this class, though, is that he had seven rushing touchdowns last season for the Rebels. He’s a weapon in short-yardage due to his size and athleticism. Guys aren’t able to tackle him, and he’s got that offensive weapon background as a tight end to help him.
Good luck trying to stop that in short yardage. Plus, a 323-pound guy getting off the ground like this to go over the top for a score? Move over, Refrigerator Perry. There’s a new goal-line weapon in town.
CONCLUSION
JJ Pegues isn’t a guy I knew much about going into the 2024 college football season. But then all he did was show up time and time again with splash plays on both sides of the football. Then, he went to the East-West Shrine Bowl and dominated there, leading to me hitting the film room on him. Though he’s still raw as a defensive lineman, doesn’t have much of a formulated pass-rush plan, and needs to better improve his hands, there’s so much potential here.
He’s an explosive athlete who has looked quite good, making the move from TE to DL in his collegiate career. He can play up and down the line of scrimmage, and he’s flashed the ability to be a disruptive pass rusher and a stout run defender. He’ll need to answer some of the effort questions that linger on his tape, but he’s a ball of clay with so much untapped potential.
In today’s NFL with an emphasis in the trenches, Pegues is quite the chess piece, one that should have teams excited to get their hands on him. He reminds me of a heavier version of Rakeem Nunez-Roches.
Projection: Early Day 3
Depot Draft Grade: 7.4 Rotational Player
Games Watched: Furman (2024), Oklahoma (2024), LSU (2024), Wake Forest (2024), Georgia (2024)
