Will Echoles, a junior defensive tackle at Ole Miss, is drawing first‑round NFL Draft buzz, and he said Wednesday he is “just happy to be on the list,” according to comments at SEC Media Days.
Mississippi has produced several top NFL interior linemen, including Fletcher Cox, Chris Jones and Jeffery Simmons, according to player bios and media reports. Echoles attended the same Houston High School as Jones, the school listings show, and said the success of fellow Mississippians stood out to him.
“It’s crazy. Me and Chris Jones are from the same hometown and the same city,” Echoles said at SEC Media Days. “Just for him to do what he’s done, and to see Jeffery Simmons … just seeing what they’ve done and the success Mississippians have had in the league stands out. I’m just happy to be on the list.”
Echoles finished the most recent season with 68 tackles (32 solo), five sacks and five pass deflections, according to Ole Miss statistics. He played a key role as the Rebels reached the College Football Playoff semifinals, the school reports.
Ole Miss returns interior linemen Jamarious Brown and Andrew Maddox and added transfers Jeheim Oatis from Colorado and Michai Boireau from Florida to bolster depth, the program announced. The Rebels are scheduled to open the 2026 season against Louisville at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, according to the school’s schedule.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
