Former Ole Miss Star Joins Lane Kiffin's LSU Roster Rebuild

Princewill Umanmielen, the No. 1 EDGE in the Transfer Portal, explains his decision to leave Oxford for Baton Rouge.

Apr. 3, 2026 at 3:25pm

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A fragmented, geometric painting depicting an intense college football pass rush, with sharp planes of deep red, gold, and navy representing the raw power and energy of the sport.The addition of elite transfer Princewill Umanmielen gives LSU's defense a dynamic new weapon as they aim to compete for a national title.Baton Rouge Today

After a strong junior season at Ole Miss, star defender Princewill Umanmielen has decided to join new LSU head coach Lane Kiffin's roster rebuild in Baton Rouge. Umanmielen, the top-ranked edge rusher in the transfer portal, cited Kiffin's coaching style and LSU's championship aspirations as key factors in his decision to leave Oxford.

Why it matters

Kiffin and LSU made waves this offseason by assembling an elite transfer portal haul, headlined by Umanmielen. The addition of the 6-foot-5, 245-pound pass rusher bolsters an LSU defense that is expected to be a strength of the team as they aim to compete for a national title in Kiffin's first year.

The details

Umanmielen, a Lone Star State product, is coming off a junior campaign at Ole Miss where he recorded 45 total tackles, 12 tackles for loss, 8 sacks, 2 pass breakups, and 1 interception. He cited Kiffin's coaching style and LSU's championship aspirations as the main reasons behind his decision to leave Oxford and join the Tigers.

  • Umanmielen entered the transfer portal following the 2025 season.
  • He announced his commitment to LSU in early April 2026.

The players

Princewill Umanmielen

A 6-foot-5, 245-pound edge rusher who was the No. 1 player in the 2026 transfer portal and is joining the LSU Tigers after a strong junior season at Ole Miss.

Lane Kiffin

The new head coach of the LSU Tigers, who assembled an elite transfer portal haul this offseason to quickly rebuild the roster.

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What they’re saying

“This ain't no first year build thing. We're trying to go all the way. If that's the mindset you got, a building mindset, this ain't the place. We're trying to go out of the way, so that's our mindset right now.”

— Princewill Umanmielen, Defensive Player

“Coaching changing is part of the game. It just had to do with the best decisions for me, and I felt like it was just different here. I wanted to take it to the next level and come here and play for Coach Kiffin.”

— Princewill Umanmielen, Defensive Player

What’s next

LSU will look to continue building momentum as they head into spring practice, with Umanmielen expected to be a key piece of their defensive plans for the 2026 season.

The takeaway

Kiffin's ability to quickly assemble an elite roster through the transfer portal has positioned LSU as a national title contender in his first year, with the addition of star pass rusher Princewill Umanmielen a major coup for the Tigers' championship aspirations.