Shockwaves in the SEC: Ole Miss Star Edge Rusher Princewill Umanmielen Makes Unexpected Leap to LSU

When it comes to college football whirlwind moves, few shakeups catch the eye quite like Princewill Umanmielen’s latest gamble. This Ole Miss edge rusher, fresh off an impressive 2025 season, has decided to tag along with Lane Kiffin—making the jump straight to LSU for the upcoming 2026 campaign. It’s a move that’s got tongues wagging and for good reason. Princewill didn’t just stroll into the transfer portal; he made a late but impactful entrance, quickly becoming one of the most coveted pass rushers out there. With his brother Princely also having roamed under Kiffin’s watchful eye at Ole Miss, this family reunion on the Bayou State’s turf promises fireworks. Cutting through the stats and the drama, it’s clear LSU’s defensive front is about to receive a much-needed jolt of energy after a less-than-stellar sack count last season. This isn’t just a transfer; it’s a shot at redefining defensive might. For the full scoop on this intriguing transition, LEARN MORE.

Princewill Umanmielen is following Lane Kiffin to LSU.

The Ole Miss edge rusher was a late entrant into the transfer portal and is now set to join the Tigers for the 2026 season per On3. Umanmielen, whose brother Princely also played for Kiffin at Ole Miss, had a breakout season in 2025 and immediately became one of the best pass rushers in the transfer portal when he said he was leaving the Rebels.

Umanmielen had 45 total tackles and nine sacks in 2025. He recorded 2.5 of those sacks in the College Football Playoff; he had 1.5 sacks against Tulane and a sack against Miami. Though he didn’t have a sack against Georgia, he recorded seven stops in the Rebels’ upset win in the Sugar Bowl.

The former Nebraska transfer had 35 tackles and 3.5 sacks in his first two seasons of college football before joining LSU. Princely Umanmielen played at Ole Miss in 2024 after he spent four seasons at Florida and had 10.5 sacks and 13.5 tackles for loss in his final season. Over four seasons at Florida, Princely had 15 sacks.

Princewill’s move to Baton Rouge is a huge addition for an LSU defensive line that did not have a standout pass rusher in 2025. The Tigers totaled just 27 total sacks all season and Harold Perkins — who is off to the NFL — was the only player who had more than 2.5 sacks. No player returning to the LSU roster in 2026 had more than two sacks a season ago.