HOOVER, Ala. -- Ole Miss wide receiver Donte Moncrief established himself as one of the elite receivers in the SEC last season, even though he was only a sophomore. And he might need only one more season to establish himself as an NFL prospect.
Moncrief didn't mince words Tuesday when asked about the possibility that he could be entering his final collegiate season.
"It's in the back of my mind, kind of. But right now, the main thing is getting my team some wins, just staying healthy, just staying focused. It's according to how the season goes," he said. "If I feel like it's a good time to come out, I'll come out. If not, I'll come back and be a Rebel and be ready to play another season."
Moncrief caught 66 passes for 979 yards and 10 touchdowns last season for a Rebels offense that was far better than expected. He's added some size in the offseason (6-3, 226 pounds) and figures to eclipse the 1,000-yard mark this year, given good health, in his second season working with quarterback Bo Wallace. Moncrief said he'll look to improve on his route-running to help develop a more complete skill set this fall.
And while Moncrief concedes a strong junior season might prompt an early declaration for the 2014 NFL Draft, he isn't without a measure of humility.
"Right now I don't consider myself the best wide receiver in the SEC. There are a lot of things I can work on," he said. "There are a lot of great receivers out there. You've got Amari Cooper from Alabama, (Mike) Evans of Texas A&M who is a big-bodied receiver, and Jordan Matthews who just makes big plays and makes the plays when his team needs it."
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