Ole Miss' Walter Nolen Top 15, Princely Umanmielen First Rounder in Latest Mock Draft

Two Ole Miss Rebels are projected to hear their names called early in the NFL Draft, according to one recent projection.

Nov 23, 2024; Gainesville, Florida, USA; Mississippi Rebels defensive tackle Walter Nolen (2) and defensive end Princely Umanmielen (1) celebrate a sack against the Florida Gators during the second half at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images | Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

Things are certainly trending up for some Ole Miss football Rebels as they go through the NFL Draft process, including a pair of key defenders from last year's team in defensive tackle Walter Nolen and edge rusher Princely Umanmielen.

Nolen and Umanmielen were both projected as first round picks in the upcoming draft, according to a recent mock draft from CBS Sports. Nolen came in with the No. 11 overall pick, going to the San Francisco 49ers, and Umanmielen went to the Philadelphia Eagles with the No. 31 overall pick.

These two pieces of the Rebels front were key in making the Ole Miss defense one of the nation's best in 2024. The program boasted one of the top rushing defenses in college football and also got to the quarterback at an alarming rate, registering 52 sacks as a team, good for third in the FBS.

Walter Nolen anchored the tackle position of Ole Miss' defense.

Nolen, a transfer from the Texas A&M Aggies last offseason, was named a consensus All-American following his stellar 2024 campaign. He finished the regular season with 48 tackles, 14 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks. He also broke up three passes and recovered two fumbles.

He was also a huge part of the Rebels' No. 2 national rush defense as the team only allowed 80.46 rushing yards per game and led the country in yards per attempt at 2.2.

Umanmielen was also a transfer who wreaked havoc on opposing quarterbacks.

Umanmielen transferred in from the Florida Gators last offseason and immediately made his presence felt in Oxford. He finished the season with 37 total tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss and 10.5 sacks across 12 games played, flying off the edge during critical downs for the Rebels in 2024.

Princewill Umanmielen, the younger brother of Princely, is joining the Ole Miss program this offseason as a transfer from the Nebraska Cornhuskers. He has been rated as one of the top transfers to come to the SEC this offseason and could help the Rebels alleviate the loss of his brother to the draft.