Carolina Panthers draft an edge with a ‘wicked’ spin move and very cool name
To everyone outside his own family, newly drafted Carolina Panthers edge rusher Princely Umanmielen has a decidedly distinct name.
Same is true, probably, for Princely’s big brother, Prince.
And his little brother, Princewill.
And the youngest, Princeton.
To the Umanmielen family, though?
“Yeah, my parents still get confused,” Umanmielen told reporters on Friday, a few minutes after being selected by the Panthers in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft. He then chuckled. “Call for one and everybody comes.”
The story behind Umanmielen’s name is rooted in his family’s Nigerian heritage. Umanmielen’s grandfather was “a chief or a king of a village” before the country was colonized, he said, and his father, Austin, bestowed names on his sons that kept such a memory alive.
Looking back on it, the name has traveled far: to the NFL, to a pinnacle of American sports. And ask around the Carolina Panthers organization, including fellow members of his 2025 draft class, and you’ll learn this:
Umanmielen’s game might just immortalize his name.
The SEC pass rusher was regularly rated among the Top 150 prospects in this year’s draft, and the Panthers loved him. So much so, in fact, they traded up in the third round for him and used the No. 77 overall pick on him.
His strengths are obvious. The 6-foot-4, 244-pound monster’s attributes include his speed (4.72-second 40-yard-dash time), his length (33 7/8-inch arms) and his deep arsenal of moves to beat an opposing offensive lineman and sniff out the quarterback.
His propensity to improve is a strength of his, too. Umanmielen spent his first four seasons at Florida, where he notched 15 sacks and 26 tackles for loss and 99 total tackles. In 2024, he transferred to Ole Miss and notched single-season career-highs in sacks (10.5), TFL (14) while also keeping pace with his total tackles number (37).
That’s something that stood out to general manager Dan Morgan.
“I think he was working on his craft and you can tell on tape he got better and better as a pass rusher in terms of using his hands and kind of developing a toolbox, and he bends about as good as any rusher that I’ve watched this year,” Morgan said. “To get him, the speed he brings off the edge, his ability to bend. He’s got a wicked spin move. He’s got a long arm.
“He can do a lot of cool things. I think he’s just going to get better and better.”
Princely Umanmielen’s value in Carolina Panthers defense
Umanmielen is joining a defense that desperately needs an improved pass rush in 2025.
The Panthers made strides to do so over free agency. They signed Pat Jones II from the Vikings as an outside linebacker and beefed up the interior defensive line.
The Panthers also invested in the position in the draft. Umanmielen was the second of two consecutive edge rushers the Panthers drafted on Day 2. Carolina picked Nic Scourton in the second round. (The team traded up for him, too.)
The consensus on both guys is that they both can develop into premier talents one day — and that they complement each other well.
Take it from Corey Fuller, the southeast area scout for the Panthers.
“You get a guy like Nic Scourton, I got a chance to meet him a little bit, great character guy, really good worker. He’s a power rusher who can literally run through you, any way that he wants to,” Fuller said. “And then Princely, I got the chance to do (his scout) this fall. Another good kid. And he’s a little different. Very finesse. Very bendy. Very long, good strength to hold his line.
“So you pick your poison: Do you get ran through? Or do you want to get somebody to run under you and around you? So I’m fired up to have them both.”
Princely Umanmielen’s draft class already loves him
The rave reviews don’t just stop at the coaching staff.
The Panthers, after all, drafted three players who spent time in Florida: Umanmielen, fourth-round selection running back Trevor Etienne and defensive lineman Cam Jackson.
“Princely is my brother, always will be,” Etienne said after being selected by the Panthers on Day 3 of the draft. “He kind of just took me under his wing, showing me the way of college football, showing me how to take care of your body, the little things.”
Etienne called his friend “one of the best edge rushers in this draft” — and when asked about why the Panthers fell in love with so many SEC guys this draft, he shrugged: “I mean, you have guys like Princely.”
“I’ve watched Princely hit 20 miles per hour on the catapult playing edge,” Etienne said. “It’s just crazy.”
Dave Canales excited for Princely
The rest of Umanmielen’s story will soon be told.
You’ll hear about his brothers, including his older brother, Prince, who plays D-Line and might get his pro career started in the CFL. You’ll hear about his instinctual approach to the game, one that he thinks resembles Von Miller.
You’ll hear about the ways in which he feels underrated, too. A sampling: “I think I’m a really powerful guy, and people kind of don’t really acknowledge that. ... I was winning with my moves, so there was no reason to convert to power. There were times where I go power, and it does show up on film a lot. I squat 700 pounds, so I know I have a lot of power.”
And you’ll also hear others advocating for him.
When he received the phone call from the Panthers, he heard an ecstatic head coach Dave Canales on the other end.
“Princely!” Canales yelled. “Let’s go man!!”
Umanmielen laughed.
“I’m gonna have to break y’all’s pockets in 3-4 years,” the newly minted Panther said.
In the meantime, the rookie will get his new city acquainted with his special game, and special name.
This story was originally published April 29, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
