Ole Miss is fighting to keep sack leader Princewill Umanmielen from entering the transfer portal after he announced plans to leave this week.
The Rebels have challenged Umanmielen’s entry and aren’t expected to process his paperwork, according to 247Sports. The move comes after the pass rusher recently signed a new contract with Ole Miss.
Conversations between Umanmielen and Ole Miss remain ongoing with all options still on the table, sources told On3.
Friday marked the final day for players to notify schools about entering the transfer portal. Schools then have 48 hours to process the paperwork.
Umanmielen recorded 44 tackles this season, including 13 tackles for loss and nine sacks. He became one of the SEC’s most disruptive edge defenders after transferring from Nebraska to Oxford in 2025.
The situation is similar to Washington’s recent stance with Demond Williams. Schools are showing more willingness to enforce NIL contracts as the portal era continues to evolve.
Ole Miss has been active in the portal under head coach Pete Golding, who guided the Rebels on a College Football Playoff run after replacing Lane Kiffin. The Rebels currently hold the No. 27 portal class.
The team has focused on retention, re-signing players like Trinidad Chambliss and Kewan Lacy.
