Conventional wisdom would suggest that it would be really hard for the Ole Miss defense not to see a drop-off along the defensive front. The Rebels lost four starters along the defensive line to the NFL following the 2024 season.
Chief among them was DT Walter Nolen, who became the first Rebel drafted in the first round since Laremy Tunsil in 2016. They also lost team sack leader Princely Umanmielen and three-year starters in JJ Pegues and Jared Ivey.
With all that loss of production and talent, it would be easy to predict some major drop-off this year. However, early indications out of camp are that it might not be the case. The Rebels return a truly special player, and that is former 5-star Suntarine Perkins, who returns after a breakout season. He tied Princely for the team lead in sacks and is receiving All-American honors and first-round buzz.
Perk makin’ plays 🦈 pic.twitter.com/YwAQrq442V
— Ole Miss Football (@OleMissFB) August 9, 2025
There have been questions about high school recruiting and development at Ole Miss during the Lane Kiffin era, as the priority has clearly been on the transfer portal. However, one position where high school recruiting has been very strong is along the defensive line.
Ole Miss returns a monster up the middle in Zxavian Harris, who was a blue-chip recruit coming out of Mississippi as a top 100 player. He played last year as the 3rd DT behind Nolen and Pegues, totalling 30 tackles with 1.5 sacks. He will look to take a step this year.
The Rebels also return Jamarious Brown, who will be entering his third season after getting his feet wet last season as a redshirt freshman. He flashed a ton of promise in his reserve role.
William Echoles, a former top 75 player coming out of high school and borderline 5-star prospect, will be entering his second season. He was a pre-season freshman All-American last year, but was buried a bit on the depth chart. He is an incredibly talented player and should be a big factor up front.
They also brought another four-star interior recruit in Andrew Maddox this season. They also have two other former 4-stars on the roster in Kam Beavers and Jeffrey Rush, who could take the next step.
Ole Miss did lose veteran defensive tackle Akelo Stone to the transfer portal as he returned to Georgia Tech. He was a really nice depth piece and played some consequential snaps last year. However, his departure to find a place that could guarantee more snaps bodes well for the development of the young and talented Ole Miss interior d-lineman.
Outside of returning Perkins at edge, defensive line coach Randal Joyner attacked the transfer portal again. First, they landed Da'Shawn Womack from LSU. He was ranked as the No. 16 EDGE in the portal.
Womack, out of St. Frances Academy in Baltimore, was a five-star recruit and the No. 26 player in the country. He didn't fully click during his two seasons at LSU, totalling just over 20 tackles and 2.5 sacks; however, he has the talent and could be unlocked by Golding and Joyner.
In a similar vein, the Rebel signed Princely's little brother, Princewell Umanmielen from Nebraska. He was ranked as the No. 4 EDGE out of the portal and a top 20 overall player. He was a four-star recruit coming out of high school. He, too, didn't fully click in his first two years, with a little over 30 total tackles and 1.5 sacks.
However, he has all the talent in the world. During the Rebels' scrimmage this last Saturday, Princewell recorded 4 sacks and was named the defensive MVP by head coach Lane Kiffin.
Additionally, there is redshirt freshman Kam Franklin. Franklin was a massive win for the Rebels on the recruiting front when he committed a couple of years ago out of Lake Cormorant, MS. Franklin was a top 100 recruit and borderline 5-star prospect. He is listed as 6-foot-6 and 275 pounds, and has the length, size, and athleticism to replace the void left by Jared Ivey on the defensive line.
While the Rebels lost a lot of proven and talented players on the defensive line, there are a ton of talented and hungry players ready to take their place. In total, the Rebels have 10 five and four-star recruits along the defensive line. They are a relatively unproven bunch, but my money is on Pete Golding and Randal Joyner to get the most out of this incredibly talented crop of players.