A relentless edge rusher who transferred from Florida to Ole Miss chasing double-digit sacks, and got them.
Princely Umanmielen came to the United States from Nigeria and grew into one of the more high-motor pass rushers in the 2025 draft class. After four years at Florida, he transferred to Ole Miss for one final push, hit his double-digit sack goal, and landed with Carolina in the third round.
Path to the league
Umanmielen spent four seasons at Florida, totaling 98 tackles, 15 sacks and three forced fumbles, before transferring to Ole Miss for his final year of eligibility specifically to chase a double-digit sack season. He got there, finishing with 10.5 sacks, 37 tackles and a forced fumble, and the Panthers selected him with the 77th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Career highlights
At 6-foot-4 with 34-plus-inch arms, Umanmielen built his reputation on relentless effort, chasing plays until the whistle regardless of the down or score. His breakout Ole Miss season, capped by hitting double digits in sacks, validated the gamble of leaving a Power Four program for a fresh start in the SEC.
2025 season recap
Umanmielen appeared in 16 games as a rookie, finishing with 24 tackles, 1.5 sacks and a forced fumble. His counting stats were modest next to fellow rookie Nic Scourton, but his splash-play percentage still ranked seventh among all rookies league-wide, a sign of the disruptive traits Carolina drafted him for.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Princely Umanmielen
- Pro Football Reference: Princely Umanmielen
Statistics
2025 season and career2025 Season · Defense
16 games played▶Defense · career
| Year | Team | GP | TOT | SOLO | SACK | INT | FF | FR | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | panthers | 16 | 24 | 13 | 1.5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Linebacker
- Group
- defense
- College
- Ole Miss
- Hometown
- Austin, TX, USA
- Age
- 24
- Status
- active
