Will Echoles
Ole Miss#24 overallDraft Movement
Down 2 spots since Jun 8
Scouting Report
Will Echoles is the most productive interior disruptor in the 2027 class and the anchor of the Ole Miss defense. He arrived in Oxford as a consensus four-star recruit and Mississippi 4A Mr. Football out of Houston High School, where he dominated on both sides of the ball. As a true freshman in 2024 he sat behind a defensive line room that sent four players to the NFL, including first-round pick Walter Nolen, appearing in eight games as a reserve. He stepped into the starting lineup as a sophomore in 2025 and immediately became one of the best defensive linemen in college football. He logged 765 snaps across 15 games and never wore down, leading all Power Four interior linemen with 39 pressures and 35 defensive stops. He added 11.5 tackles for loss, six batted passes, and a 20.59 percent pass-rush win rate on his way to First-team All-SEC honors. His breakout peaked on the biggest stage, claiming Defensive MVP of the Sugar Bowl playoff win over Georgia as Ole Miss reached the CFP semifinal. He wins with a violent first step, knifing interior gaps and converting penetration into stops behind the line. When quickness does not get him home, he generates real power through his hips to walk guards back on the bull rush. His vise-grip hands reset blockers, and his pass-rush toolbox is unusually deep for a player this young. He is stout at the point of attack against the run, squeezing down A and B gaps and absorbing double teams without yielding ground. He posted five pressures against Florida and won repeatedly against Georgia across two meetings. The flaws are clear and fixable: ten missed tackles, ordinary timed speed, and pad level that climbs late in long drives. He announced his return for 2026 before the Fiesta Bowl, and consensus boards already slot him as a top-32 pick with clear first-round upside. If the tackling and leverage tighten up, the current second-round grade will look conservative.
The Tape
Strengths
- Led all Power Four interior linemen in pressures (39) and defensive stops (35) in 2025, rare production for a first-year starter
- Stout run defender who holds the point against down blocks and double teams without giving ground
- Explosive first step to knife interior gaps and finish penetration with tackles behind the line
- Generates power through his hips to walk guards back on the bull rush
- Vise-grip hands that reset blockers, with a pass-rush moveset unusually deep for his age
- Batted six passes at the line in 2025, constantly disrupting throwing lanes
- Elite motor and durability, playing 765 snaps across 15 games without wearing down
- Lines up at multiple spots along the front, adding scheme versatility
Weaknesses
- Missed ten tackles in 2025, lunging in space instead of finishing through contact
- Ordinary timed speed limits his range and pursuit outside the tackle box
- Pad level climbs late in long drives, letting guards into his frame and steering him out of gaps
- Anchor needs to drop lower as games wear on to avoid leverage slips
- Pass-rush technique still needs refinement despite the deep toolbox
- Only one season of starting production, so the sack output must prove repeatable in 2026
- Wins with quickness and power rather than length or recovery athleticism
NFL Comparison
Walter Nolen (Ole Miss predecessor with the same explosive interior-penetrator profile); Christian Wilkins (high-motor run stuffer who piles up stops and batted passes); Milton Williams (compact power-quickness rusher who wins inside with first-step and bull rush)
College Stats
2025: 15 games, 66 tackles, 11.5 TFL, 5.0 sacks, 6 batted passes, 39 pressures, 35 stops; 2024: 8 games, 9 tackles, 2.0 TFL, 0.5 sacks
Measurables
Awards & Honors
First-Team All-SEC (2025); Sugar Bowl Defensive MVP (2025 CFP); Mississippi 4A Mr. Football (HS); All-American Bowl selection (2024); Consensus four-star recruit, a top-15 defensive lineman nationally