Which Ole Miss Football Transfer Portal Addition Will Replace Princewill Umanmielen?

The Rebels must get production from their newcomers, which Transfer Portal addition can make a difference?

Oregon outside linebacker Blake Purchase pressures Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza as the Oregon Ducks host the Indiana Hoosiers Oct. 11, 2025, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Ole Miss edge rusher Princewill Umanmielen is out of the picture for the Rebels heading into the 2026 season after entering the NCAA Transfer Portal and signing a lucrative deal with the LSU Tigers on Wednesday.

Umanmielen emerged as the No. 1 EDGE in the NCAA Transfer Portal once his name was formally placed in the database where he also checked in as the No. 5 overall prospect in the market.

The 6-foot-5, 245-pound Texas native is fresh off of a strong junior season after making his way to the SEC - logging 45 total tackles while also tallying a strong 12 tackles for loss, nine sacks, two pass breakups and an interception on the season.

Now, with Ole Miss' leading sack getter in 2025 out of the equation for the 2026 season, there will be a mix of returning pieces and newcomers that must pick up the slack with Umanmielen's production now gone.

Ole Miss defender Suntarine Perkins will be back for the 2026 season where he ultimately finished one half tackle for loss behind Umanmielen while also adding 4.5 sacks of his own.

BREAKING: #LSU has landed a commitment from the No. 1 EDGE in the Transfer Portal: Princewill Umanmielen.

The 6’5, 245-pound Ole Miss transfer is the No. 5 overall transfer in the portal after tallying 9.0 sacks + 45 tackles in 2025.

Lane Kiffin and Co. strike gold once again. pic.twitter.com/Xzwc5yJxCO

— Zack Nagy (@znagy20) January 21, 2026

Perkins will be an effective piece at picking up the production for Ole Miss, but the Rebels must receive production from their newcomers via the NCAA Transfer Portal.

The Pair of Newcomers at EDGE:

No. 1: Blake Purchase - Oregon Ducks

Oregon Ducks EDGE Blake Purchase departed Eugene for the Ole Miss Rebels where he signed with the program earlier this week following a visit to Oxford.

The 6-foot-3, 245-pounder finished the 2025 campaign with just 13 tackles, two sacks and an interception, but received limited action behind a star-studded Oregon Ducks defensive front this fall.

Purchase, a Colorado native, compiled 39 total tackles, 3.5 sacks, two pass breakups, and an interception across three seasons in Eugene where he will now have two seasons of eligibility remaining at his next destination.

Golding and the Ole Miss Rebels inked the coveted defender after a stint with Dan Lanning's Oregon squad where he will now look to take his production to the next level.

No. 2: Jonathan Maldonado - Nevada

The 6-foot-3, 235-pounder is coming off of a 2025 season where he totaled 38 tackles, nine tackles for loss to go along with five sacks for his Wolfpack crew.

Maldonado's Pro Football Focus grades stick out after finishing with an 85.8 pass rush grade in 2025 and an overall defensive grade of 79.5. Both of those numbers put him among the top-five on the Ole Miss roster across the 2025 season.

The Nevada transfer will serve as an integral part of the Rebels' defensive front after a productive stretch in the Mountain West - now looking to take his game up a notch in the Southeastern Conference.

More Ole Miss News:

Ole Miss Football Gaining Confidence in Landing Top-10 Transfer Portal Wide Receiver

Ole Miss Football Adds Commitment From Prized Oklahoma Sooners Transfer To Haul

Kirk Herbstreit Believes Trinidad Chambliss Has Strong Chance To Get Waiver for 2026, Win Appeal

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