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Ole Miss Sophomore Named Breakout Candidate in 2025

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Levi Dombro | Last updated Feb 21, 2025 1:10 PM ET

Ole Miss head football coach Lane Kiffin has done a tremendous job recruiting in recent seasons both through the transfer portal and from the high school ranks. As a result, the Rebels won 11 games in 2024 and the program had the fifth-most players invited to the NFL Combine as well.

Among those players were four defensive linemen -- Walter Nolen, Princely Umanmielen, Jaden Ivey and J.J. Pegues -- and two other defensive players. Kiffin and his staff will have their hands full replacing those guys next season, but 247Sports recently named sophomore defensive tackle William Echoles as a potential breakout candidate in 2025.

Echoles played in eight games for the Rebels last season, recording nine tackles, including two for a loss, and 0.5 sacks. His playing time was limited as a true freshman but there were several NFL talents ahead of him on the depth chart. The hope is that Echoles learned from these players during his first season.

As a recruit, Echoles was one of the most highly touted players in the country. He was ranked as a four-star recruit by every major outlet and was nationally ranked as well as a top-five talent in his home state of Mississippi.

The 6-foot-3, 310-pound sophomore should see an increase in playing time this season with the entire starting defensive line from 2024 now in the NFL Draft pool. He and Suntarine Perkins could be a formidable duo for the Rebels' defense next year if Echoles can make the leap that many expect him to.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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