Ole Miss EDGE Princely Umanmielen's Versatility Drawing Praise Ahead of NFL Draft

Princely Umanmielen has the ability to wreck opposing offenses, as he demonstrated this year with the Ole Miss Rebels.

Nov 9, 2024; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi Rebels defensive lineman Princely Umanmielen (1) reacts during the second half against the Georgia Bulldogs at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images / Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

The front seven in Oxford this season was deadly for opposing offenses, and it's a large reason that the Ole Miss Rebels were able to win 10 games for the third time in the last four years.

Helping lead the charge for the Rebels' front seven was edge rusher Princely Umanmielen, a transfer from the Florida Gators last offseason. Umanmielen was a one-and-done player in Oxford, but he made a huge impact on a team that has enjoyed a revival on defense since Pete Golding assumed the coaching duties for the operation.

Umanmielen is now preparing for the NFL Draft, and he is drawing some high praise in the process. Analyst Tom Fornelli recently had this to say about the edge rusher's skillset in a mock draft from CBS Sports.

"Ole Miss went and plucked two defensive linemen out of the transfer portal last year, and I have both of them in the first round of my first mock," Fornelli wrote. "Umanmielen is another player I'm a touch higher on than the consensus. He has a quick first step, great athleticism and is versatile. A real Vic Fangio special here."

The other defensive lineman that Fornelli is referencing is tackle Walter Nolen who he had going 11th-overall to the San Francisco 49ers. This mock draft had Umanmielen going with the No. 31 overall pick to the Philadelphia Eagles.

The Austin, Texas, native finished the season with 37 total tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss and 10.5 sacks across 12 games played, flying off the edge during critical downs for the Rebels in 2024. Although he was sidelined for a brief time with an injury, Umanmielen returned to action and full form quickly for the Rebels down the stretch last fall.

Many mock drafts do not have Umanmielen going in the first round, but his versatility and athleticism have obviously caught the eye of some scouts and analysts, including Fornelli who could see the edge rusher coming off the board rather early in April.

This part of the Umanmielen family may be heading to the professional ranks, but there's another part of the bloodline who has made his way to Oxford. Princewill Umanmielen, the younger brother of Princely, transferred to the Rebels this offseason from Nebraska and is expected to help alleviate the loss of his older brother in the 2025 season.

As far as Princely is concerned, however, his hope is that this first-round grade rings true when the draft itself takes place on April 24-26 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. If it does, he would likely be joining Nolen as a Rebel who hears his name called on the first night of the festivities.

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