Multiple Ole Miss Stars Open Up Preseason Camp on Award Watch Lists

Several Ole Miss players have been recognized before the season begins.

Mississippi Rebels defensive tackle Will Echoles. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

We're finally into August, which means the countdown to Ole Miss football is officially on. The Rebels will open the season against Louisville on Sunday, September 6th.

Fall camp will ramp up over the next several weeks, allowing fans to see this new-look Ole Miss team under first-year head coach Pete Golding. The expectations are high as the Rebels look for an impressive follow-up act to 2025's campaign.

Ole Miss was picked to finish third in the SEC Media Preseason Poll. Some of their returning starters could have something to do with that ranking.

All Eyes on the Rebels

Mississippi Rebels linebacker Suntarine Perkins lines up. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

On Tuesday, defensive tackle Will Echoles and offensive guard Patrick Kutas were selected to the Outland Trophy Watch List. The Outland Trophy is presented to the nation's most outstanding interior lineman by the Football Writers Association of America.

Last year, Utah offensive lineman Spencer Fano won the award. No Ole Miss player has won the award. Echoles is coming off a solid season, recording 68 total tackles and five sacks. He'll be the leader of the defensive line and should have a decent chance of winning the award.

Kutas is a part of an offensive line that mostly stayed intact during the offseason. Delano Townsend and Brycen Sanders return, but there are some question marks about the tackle positions.

Meanwhile, defensive end Suntarine Perkins and Echoles were named to the Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List. This award is given to the nation's best defensive player. Last season, Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez won.

The finalists will be announced on November 19th, and the winner on December 7th. Perkins or Echoles would be the first Ole Miss player to win the award. The expectations are high for Perkins to improve on last season's sack total after he recorded 4.5 in 2025.

It's possible that his role could change this season. Perkins could be used as an edge or could move around based on the matchup. Regardless, he and Echoles will be two leaders of Golding's defense, and it's reflected in the preseason recognition.

They won't be the only players who are on watch lists. Trinidad Chambliss and Kewan Lacy have garnered plenty of preseason hype and earned their way onto the Maxwell Award watchlist. They'll be one of the best offensive duos in college football and could become Heisman finalists by the end of the season.

There isn't a lack of talent on this Rebels' roster, but now they gotta showcase it on the field.

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