Princely Umanmielen NFL draft 2025: Projecting top 3 landing spots for Ole Miss EDGE ft. Carolina Panthers

A pass-rushing specialist, Princely Umanmielen finished his college career with a strong showing as a fifth-year senior with the Ole Miss Rebels. He ended the season with 10.5 sacks, 37 tackles and a forced fumble.

Before joining the Rebels for the 2024 season, the Austin, Texas, native played four seasons for the Florida Gators. He finished his college career with 136 tackles, 40 tackles for loss, 25.5 sacks, four forced fumbles and a fumble recovery.

Princely Umanmielen’s speed and length off the edge make him difficult to block against and he sets up his pass rushing moves well. While there are some elements to his game that need refinement, including his short area quickness, he should have the attention of at least a handful of teams.

Top three landing spots for Ole Miss EDGE Princely Umanmielen

Princely Umanmielen worked for NFL scouts at the Senior Bowl. - Source: Imagn

While a lot of things can change between now and the NFL draft, Princely Umanmielen is projected to be one of the first picks selected in the second round.

Pass rushers are valued well in the NFL, and someone who can come off the edge on passing downs and still help in run defense will have no shortage of suitors.

While his tendency to run vertically could hurt his draft stock, it’s unlikely he lasts deep into the second round. Here are three landing spots that would suit him well.

#3, Arizona Cardinals

The Arizona Cardinals have been looking for a pass rusher for years, but they’ve still struggled to create pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Recent picks BJ Olujari and Darius Robinson have struggled to stay on the field.

While Arizona ranked in the middle of the NFL in total sacks in 2024, there were times when they just couldn’t get to the quarterback. Zaven Collins was the only player to reach five sacks last season. Adding a top pass rusher like Princely Umanmielen would help the defense enormously.

The former Rebel could also develop along with some of the other younger pass rushers on the team. If they can stay healthy and produce, the Cardinals could be set at the position for years to come.

#2, Philadelphia Eagles

Playing in the Super Bowl, the Philadelphia Eagles will get to pick right at the end of the first round. While Philadelphia’s defense might be the best in the NFL, they could create more pressure off the edge. And with Brandon Graham possibly retiring, adding a young pass rusher would also help the unit in the long run.

Princely Umanmielen would also fit well in a defensive line that already has Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis. With those players occupying blockers and creating pressure up the middle, the Ole Miss product could take advantage of the edge with his speed.

Philadelphia would also provide Umanmielen with time to develop, as the team has solid players on every level of the defense, so the pressure to make plays would not fall squarely on the rookie’s shoulders.

#1, Carolina Panthers

After the Carolina Panthers offense showed dramatic improvement toward the end of the season attention should be turned to the defensive side of the ball. The Panthers tied for 29th in the NFL in sacks per game. The team decided to trade Brian Burns to the New York Giants before the 2024 season and the results were discouraging.

With a stronger pass rush the defense could perform a lot better, reducing the pressure on the secondary to keep covering for so long. They also need to add depth along the front seven, so this could be a defense-oriented draft in Charlotte.

Nabbing a solid pass rusher at the top of round two would help Carolina fill one of their biggest needs in the starting lineup, allowing them to focus on depth later on in the draft.