Ole Miss EDGE Princely Umanmielen is among the premier pass rushers available in the 2025 NFL Draft. Umanmielen transferred from Florida to Ole Miss this past season and recorded a career-high 10.5 sacks. He then went to the NFL Combine and displayed outstanding athleticism by leaping a 38-inch vertical and 10-foot-6 broad jump.
Umanmielen recently spoke exclusively with The Draft Network. Umanmielen discussed his outstanding 2024 campaign at Ole Miss, his experience in Indianapolis, playing on a loaded defensive line, and more.
JM: You recently participated in this year's NFL Combine. What was your overall experience like?
Princely Umanmielen: It was a great experience. It was definitely a tough week. It was mentally taxing, but I was beyond thankful to have had the opportunity.
JM: You finished top five among all defensive ends in the vertical (38 inches) and broad jump (10-foot-6). You displayed athleticism. Do you think you surprised scouts with that athleticism?
Princely Umanmielen: I hope I didn’t surprise anybody (laughs). Maybe I did. I hope they were expecting me to be athletic! They should have seen my athleticism on film. But maybe I did surprise a few of them.
JM: You transferred from Florida to Ole Miss this past season and you recorded a career-high 10.5 sacks. What do you think it was about your mentality and approach that allowed you to acclimate so quickly?
Princely Umanmielen: I definitely think I also benefited from having great players around me. We had a complete defensive line at Ole Miss. Players like Walter Nolen and JJ Pegues, we all made each other productive.
Other than that, I attacked every week like a pro. I prepared like a pro. I was always putting in extra work. We practiced in the morning at Ole Miss. Meetings would start at 8am and practice would end around 12 noon. I wouldn’t go home after that. My days went from like 8am to 8pm.
I’d go from class back to the facility to put in extra work. I watched as much film as I could.
JM: It showed. You bring me to my next question. Watching the draft, it’s going to be like Oprah. Everyone gets an Ole Miss defensive lineman! What a talented front, between yourself, Walter Nolen, Jared Ivey, and JJ Pegues. How did iron sharpen iron at practice?
Princely Umanmielen: Right (laughs). Being around those guys, practicing every day together, it was an amazing experience. We loved competing against our offense at practice. Having that many experienced veterans in the same room, it wasn’t like we had one leader. We all actively worked together.
JM: It showed on Saturdays. I'm really excited to discuss your pass-rush arsenal with you. You don't record 10.5 sacks without having a special set of moves. What do you consider to be your go-to moves and counters as a pass rusher?
Princely Umanmielen: My go-to move is getting off the ball and hitting a chop-rip. I love using my bend to run past offensive linemen. I counter off of that with a spin move.
JM: You developed an inside counter as well. Tackles were oversetting you. They had to respect your speed. You were smart enough to work back inside.
Princely Umanmielen: For sure. A lot of times, I love to show speed in the first quarter. After a couple of reps, they think they’re getting speed every time. They think I’m one-dimensional. At that point, they start kicking back way faster than they’re taught to do. That allows me to use my footwork and counter back inside. I like to think I have pretty good footwork to execute that.
JM: You also set the edge in the run game. That may be an underrated aspect of your game. Do you feel like you're a three-down lineman at the next level?
Princely Umanmielen: Thank you for saying that. A lot of people sleep on me as a run defender. Maybe it’s because I’m such a good pass rusher. They just forget about the run-stopping aspect of my game. It’s like they have to find something to diminish in my game.
I think I can still get better in the run game though, but I’ve never been a liability in the run.
JM: You’ve never been a liability as a run defender. And you understand that rushing the passer is a privilege. You have to stop the run on first and second down. Did you have any formal interviews at the NFL Combine, and do you have any team visits coming up?
Princely Umanmielen: I had a couple of formal interviews at the NFL Combine. I know I had ones with the Arizona Cardinals and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. I had a few others. I already visited Arizona in person as well. I have a few other visits on my schedule.
JM: We've appreciated your time today. This conversation has highlighted why you're one of the best overall prospects in the 2025 NFL Draft. What kinda impact is Princely Umanmielen going to make at the next level?
Princely Umanmielen: I feel like I’m a game changer. When you turn my film on, pay attention to the critical moments in a game. I feel like that’s when I showed up and made my biggest plays. I’m consistent throughout all four quarters, but I always show up in the critical moments.
I truly believe I’m going to come in and be a game-changer.
