John Saunders Jr.

Arkansas

Sep 13 (Sat)

6:00 or 6:45 PM

Ole Miss Football vs Mercer in the season opener on Saturday, September 2nd, 2023 at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, MS.

Photos by Joshua McCoy/Ole Miss Athletics

Instagram and Twitter @OleMissPix

Ole Miss Football headshots in Starnes Athletic Center on July 17, 2024 in Oxford, MS.

Photos by Reed Jones/Ole Miss Athletics
Instagram/Twitter: @OleMissPix

Position:
S
Collegiate Letters Earned:
5
Letters Earned at Ole Miss:
2
Ht./Wt.:
6-2 / 210
Hometown:
High Point, N.C.
High School:
High Point Christian
Prev. College:
Miami (Ohio)
Major:
Multi-Disciplinary Studies

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

• 2024 All-SEC Second Team (CFN)
• 2023 All-SEC Second-Team (CFN)

2024 (SENIOR): All-SEC second team (CFN) … Played and started all 13 games for the Rebels in the secondary, helped anchor one of the best defenses in Ole Miss history … Finished seventh on the team with 47 total tackles (27 solo) with 1.5 TFL, three interceptions, five pass breakups and four forced fumbles … Ranked tied for first in the SEC and fifth in the nation in forced fumbles (4) … Rated as PFF’s No. 9 overall defender in the SEC in run defense (88.2), No. 10 in tackling (85.3) … Among safeties, ranked third in the SEC and seventh nationally in run defense (88.2), as well as sixth and 14th in tackling (85.3) … vs. Furman (08/31/24): Started at nickel, tallied three solo tackles in 32 total snaps played … vs. Middle Tennessee (09/07/24): Started at safety, recorded one tackle and an interception in 52 total snaps … at Wake Forest (09/14/24): Started at safety, picked up four tackles (two solos), a PBU and forced a fumble … vs. Georgia Southern (09/21/24): Started at safety, recorded four solos stops in 66 total snaps … vs. Kentucky (09/28/24): Started at safety, picked up six tackles (three solo) with a half TFL … at South Carolina (10/05/24): Started at safety, appeared in 88 total snaps … at #10 LSU (10/12/24): Started at safety, assisted on two tackles in 84 total snaps … vs. Oklahoma (10/26/24): Started at nickel, tied career-high with nine total tackles (seven solo) with one forced fumble and one pass breakup … at Arkansas (11/02/24): Started at safety, made four tackles (one solo) and forced a fumble … vs. #2 Georgia (11/09/24): Started at safety, had four tackles (three solo) with one TFL, two pass breakups and a crucial interception returned for 10 yards … at Florida (11/23/24): Started at nickel, notched three tackles and intercepted one pass … vs. Mississippi State (11/29/24): Started at safety, recorded four tackles and forced a fumble … vs. Duke (01/02/25): Started at safety, recorded two tackles and one pass breakup in Ole Miss’ Gator Bowl victory … Preseason All-SEC second-team (CFN).

2023 (SENIOR*): All-SEC second-team (College Football Network) ... Played and started all 13 games as a key member of Ole Miss' defensive secondary ... Ole Miss' top-rated defender per PFF with a 79.1 overall grade ... Also the top Rebel coverage defender per PFF with an 80.3 grade on the season ... Tied for the team lead with three interceptions ... Third on the team in both 65 total tackles (39 solo) and pass breakups (5) ... Also added 2.0 TFL and one QB hurry ... Played 835 total snaps across defense and special teams ... vs. Mercer (9/2/23): Started at safety in Ole Miss debut, recorded two total tackles and one pass breakup ... Was also tied for team lead in pass coverage rating by PFF (74.3) ... at #22 Tulane (9/9/23): Started and made five total tackles (four solo), also notched one pass breakup ... vs. Georgia Tech (9/16/23): Started at safety, recorded four tackles (all solo), with one tackle for loss and one pass breakup ... at #12 Alabama (9/23/23): Started at safety, second on the team with an Ole Miss career-high seven tackles ... vs. #12 LSU (9/30/23): Started and led the team with eight total tackles, including four solo tackles ... Also had a team-best tackle rating according to PFF (85.7) ... vs. Arkansas (10/7/23): Started and made six total tackles (three solo), one pass breakup, one tackle for loss and made the game-sealing interception ... Led team in coverage rating according to PFF (79.1) and second best defensive rating overall (80.6) ... at Auburn (10/21/23): Started and made three total tackles (two solo) along with one intercepted pass ... vs. Vanderbilt (10/28/23): Started at safety, making five total tackles (one solo) ... Also led the team in tackle rating per PFF (81.2) ... vs. Texas A&M (11/4/23): Tied Ole Miss career-high with eight total tackles (four solo), added an interception in the endzone in start at safety ... Rated as top tackler by PFF (82.6) in 77 snaps ... SEC Co-Defensive Player of the Week ... at #1 Georgia (11/11/23): Started at safety, tallied five solo tackles in 62 defensive snaps ... vs. ULM (11/18/23): Started at nickel, made two total tackles (one solo) in 53 total snaps ... at Mississippi State (11/23/23): Started at nickel, recorded six tackles (three solo) and one QB hurry in 77 total snaps (including all 71 defensive snaps) ... vs. Penn State (12/30/23): Started at nickel, tallied four total tackles (three solo) in 77 total snaps, including all 72 defensive snaps, in Ole Miss’ Peach Bowl victory ... Reese's Senior Bowl Watch List ... Transfer who arrived on campus in January and participated in spring drills.

MIAMI (OH): Appeared in 23 games over three seasons for the Redhawks … Led Miami in pass breakups with 10 in 2022 … Racked up 52 total tackles, two interceptions, and one forced fumble during the 2022 season … Had five interceptions over his last two seasons including a pick-six against Cincinnati in his second career game.

HIGH SCHOOL: Played at High Point Christian High School for head coach Scott Bell … Recorded 900 receiving yards and 17 touchdowns as a wide receiver his senior season… Earned First Team All-State honors his senior season … Racked up 30 total touchdowns during his junior season, 19 passing and 12 rushing/receiving.

PERSONAL: Full name is John Lamont Saunders Jr. … Born Oct. 24, 2001 … Son of Rhonda Moore and John Saunders … Cousin, Jaquan Brisker, plays safety for the Chicago Bears … Graduated with a bachelor's degree in multi-disciplinary studies in May 2024.