How Good is Ole Miss Edge Rusher Princely Umanmielen?

Ole Miss Rebel Princely Umanmielen was recently ranked among the top returning edge rushers in the SEC.

Florida Gators defensive end Princely Umanmielen (1) tackles Georgia Bulldogs running back Kendall Milton (2) during the first half at Everbank Stadium in Jacksonville, FL on Saturday, October 28, 2023. [Matt Pendleton/Gainesville Sun] / Matt Pendleton/Gainesville Sun / USA

The Ole Miss Rebels made a massive haul in the transfer portal this offseason, and one of the key grabs for coach Lane Kiffin's team was edge rusher Princely Umanmielen from the Florida Gators.

Umanmielen registered 39 total tackles a season ago with the Gators and seven sacks, and he was brought in to help boost Ole Miss' pass rush in defensive coordinator Pete Golding's scheme. Recently, Umanmielen was listed among the top returning pass rushers in the SEC by Pro Football Focus, coming in at No. 11 on the list with a PFF grade of 76.5.

Highest Graded Returning SEC Edge Rushers💪 pic.twitter.com/H9mXY4Wray

— PFF College (@PFF_College) June 6, 2024

Earlier this offseason, Umanmielen was also ranked among PFF's top edge rushers in college football, showing just how special he can be in Oxford in a critical 2024 campaign.

In spring practice, Umanmielen received praise from head coach Lane Kiffin for what he can bring to the table for the Rebels defense, especially when looking at some of the other top programs around the league.

"We've talked in here about the Georgia game, just kind of feeling in that game, there was a difference from a size-strength-speed ratio, especially the offensive line and front seven on defense," Kiffin said. "We've had some really good players here, but if you really look at them, a lot of times they've been a little undersized or maybe a little slow. They're not high draft picks, but they've done a really good job, and our coaches have done a good job with them.

"Watching Princely, here's somebody who has really ideal size and length and speed to be a really good player, one that you don't have to say, 'Okay, here's how we'd use somebody to kind of hide some of the deficiencies,' which we've done a lot of here."

Umanmielen was joined out of the transfer portal by other strong defenders, including defensive lineman Walter Nolen. These new Rebels and the rest of Ole Miss' roster will get their first taste of the 2024 season on Aug. 31 when they play host to the FCS Furman Paladins.