Rebels Name Star Linebacker Suntarine Perkins as Chucky Mullins Award Winner

Entering his fourth season with the Ole Miss Rebels, senior linebacker Suntarine Perkins has been selected as the 36th recipient of the Chucky Mullins Courage Award.

Head coach Pete Golding unveiled Perkins as the honoree to the team on Saturday.

The award honors the late Chucky Mullins, who had his Ole Miss career come to an abrupt end during the 1989 Homecoming game against Vanderbilt when he was paralyzed after making a tackle. After returning to his studies at Ole Miss, Mullins died on May 6, 1991.

Perkins had the attention of the nation’s top programs as a consensus five-star high school recruit out of the 2023 cycle. The Raleigh, Mississippi native ultimately chose to play for the Rebels, and played a part in Pete Golding becoming the defensive coordinator at Ole Miss ahead of the 2023 season.

In three seasons with the Rebels, Perkins has tallied 179 total tackles (91 solo), six pass breakups, 18.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and two interceptions in 41 games played. As a junior in 2025, Perkins had career-highs in tackles (81), pass breakups (five) and forced fumbles (three). Perkins’ 18.5 sacks currently ranks sixth all-time in the program’s history, and only needs four more to crack the top-three.

Once again, Perkins will be relied on heavily for Ole Miss’ defense as a hybrid linebacker and pass rusher off the edge.

This offseason, Perkins has been trying to take the next step off the field around and out of the facility.

“Just being a better leader. Just being a more vocal guy towards the team and bringing guys with me,” Perkins recently told Ole Miss On SI of his leadership this offseason. “When people are having that bad day, just pick them up and look forward to get by it.”

Since 1990, former Chucky Mullins Courage Award recipients include Chris Mitchell, Jeff Carter, Trea Southerland, Johnny Dixon, Alundis Brice, Michael Lowery, Derek Jones, Nate Wayne, Gary Thigpen, Heard, Anthony Magee, Kevin Thomas, Lanier Goethie, Jamil Northcutt, Eric Oliver, Kelvin Robinson, Patrick Willis, Jeremy Garrett, Jamarca Sanford, Marcus Tillman, Kentrell Lockett, Deterrian Shackelford (twice), Jason Jones, Mike Marry, Mike Hilton, John Youngblood, Marquis Haynes, C.J. Moore, Austrian Robinson, Jaylon Jones, Keidron Smith, KD Hill, Cedric Johnson, JJ Pegues, and Tyler Banks.

Perkins’ Rebels are set to kickoff the 2026 season on Sunday, September 6 against Louisville at 6:30 p.m. CT at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee.

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