Underrated Ole Miss LB Ashanti Cistrunk believes in the 2023 defense

For the last four seasons, #36 has been an important part of the Ole Miss football team, playing in every game either on defense the last three years or special teams his freshman campaign.

Last year, he registered 72 tackles, fifth on the defense while only starting one game.

But he chugs along without many accolades or much recognition.

To say Ashanti Cistrunk, now a senior, is underrated would be an understatement. He’s used to the tag.

“I have always been underrated in football,” he chuckled. “I don’t let it bother me, I just take things as they come and do my best for the team.”

Why does Ashanti believe he’s underrated?

“I’m just not flashy, I guess. I just do my job and get it done without a lot of fanfare,” the 6-1 230-pounder noted. “To me, it’s about winning as a team. It’s not about individual stuff.”

With Troy Brown (graduated) and Austin Keys (transfer to Auburn) gone from the 2022 squad, it opened up an avenue for Cistrunk to get even more playing time, but he knows the portal additions of Jeremiah Jean-Baptiste and Monty Montgomery plus freshman Suntarine Perkins coming on board will mean a stiff competition – again.

“I’m used to the coaches bringing in good talent. I’m all for it. The stronger our room is, the stronger the defense will be. I love to compete and see where I stack up,” he added.

Ashanti said he thought he had a “pretty good” spring considering the new system that he had to learn.

“This defense is a major difference from the 3-2. I think I have it down, it wasn’t that difficult, but it is indeed different with the 4-man front,” Cistrunk, who already has a degree in Finance and has been an Honor Roll student, stated.

“The 4-man front definitely helps linebackers. I’m not fighting with 300-pound guards every snap.”

This summer, Ashanti has been working to maintain his 230 pounds, getting faster and increasing his flexibility.

“I’m OK in all those areas, but you can never be too fast, too strong or too flexible,” he said.

Cistrunk had 32 tackles in 2021 and 30 in 2020.

He had 72 last year and believes in the Rebel linebacker room and in the defense.

“We have a good room with a lot of good players. We’re a tight knit group too,” explained Ashanti. “We eat together a lot (and) do things together to form a brotherhood. We’re learning the defense together.

“We don’t have any bad blood. We help each other. We’re competing against each other, but we are also pulling for each other to get the job done. It’s a healthy situation.

“As for the defense as a whole, I feel we are going to shock some people. I believe we can be a great unit. We have great coaching, a great system, better depth than people think and we are together. I think we’ll be very good when all’s said and done.”

Ashanti is receiving an NIL contract from The Grove Collective. It’s something he needed for a very specific reason.

“The Grove Collective and NIL has helped me a lot. I have a 2-year-old son and the contract I have has relieved a lot of the financial pressure of being a Dad,” he closed. “I’m thankful to Rebel Nation for supporting The Grove Collective. It’s changed my child’s (Ashanti, Jr.) life, and my life, for the better.”

This year, pay closer attention to #36.

He’ll be the one around the ball making plays, and always has, it’s just that a lot of people didn’t notice.

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