Ole Miss' stacked 2025 NFL Draft class: Expert projections include Jaxson Dart, Walter Nolen, Princely Umanmielen, and Co.
When it comes to the number of pro prospects on the roster, few teams can match Mississippi, which has as many as 17 draftable players. They did it through a combination of good high school recruiting and raiding the rosters of other programs, including SEC teams.
The Rebels are loaded and should contend for the conference title if Lane Kiffin doesn’t screw it up.
Ole Miss Rebels' 2025 NFL Draft Preview
#1 Walter Nolen
The top four pro prospects are all transfers new to the Mississippi program, starting with Walter Nolen, a big, athletic defensive tackle who comes by way of Texas A&M.
Nolan is explosive, quick, and fluid. He’s effective at occupying blockers, changing directions, and getting down the line to make plays in space. He consistently draws double-team blocks in the middle of the line, which creates opportunities for teammates.
#2 Diego Pounds
Diego Pounds, who protected the blind side of Drake Maye at North Carolina last season, is a terrific offensive tackle prospect on the rise.
He pounds blocks with solid fundamentals and great leverage. He has a stout NFL build and consistently controls defenders once engaged in a block.
He’s smart and shows great awareness, and he seemed to get better as the season progressed last year. I’m not sure Pounds will be able to play on the left side in the NFL, yet I firmly believe he has starting potential as a strong tackle.
#3 Princely Umanmielen
Starting potential is something Florida transfer Princely Umanmielen can boast about when he applies himself. Umanmielen is an athletic pass rusher who can stand over tackle and come out of a three-point stance, and he makes plays up the field or out in space.
He’s quick as well as fast and displays a lot of suddenness in his game. What he doesn’t display is consistent intensity or dominant production.
After a disappointing campaign in 2023, Umanmielen made the correct decision to stay in school another season. The difference between Umanmielen being a top-75 pick and a Day 3 selection is the fire or lack thereof, he displays this year.
#4 Antwane Wells Jr.
Antwane Wells Jr., the fourth top-rated transfer who came from South Carolina, is highly rated in many areas of the scouting community. Wells is well built at just over six feet tall and nearly 210 pounds.
He’s reliable and very quick and shows the ability to separate from defenders. Wells plays to one speed and is not a deep threat. He’s also returning from a foot injury that limited him to just two games a year ago.
Wells could end up a top-45 pick with a big year and clean medicals at the combine, or he could land in the late part of Day 2.
#5 Jaxson Dart
Jaxson Dart is a passer I like, as he’s smart, accurate, and makes great decisions. What Dart lacks is a big-league arm, and he’s more of a game manager than a vertical passer, yet he does a good job running the offense for Kiffin.
Is Lane Kiffin on the hot seat?
Speaking of Kiffin, I firmly believe he is on the hot seat this season. The program spent a lot of money to bring in talented transfers with large NIL deals.
And with Nick Saban leaving Alabama as well as LSU losing a lot of top-level talent, the SEC West should be there for the taking for Mississippi.
A year ago, I wrote that anything less than a playoff appearance by the Texas Longhorns would fall on the shoulders of head coach Steve Sarkisian.
This year, I’ll go on record and say anything less than an appearance in the SEC title game and the CFP would be the same type of failure for Kiffin.
Ole Miss Rebels' 2025 NFL Draft projections by Tony Pauline
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