Will Echoles DT Ole Miss |
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| Jersey: #52 SUB-POSITION: DT 3-TECH | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 11/03/2026 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2027 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FORTY time: 5.10 seconds (52%*) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Jersey: #52 | |
| SUB-POSITION: DT 3-TECH | |
| Last Updated: 11/03/2026 | |
| Draft Year: 2027 | |
| Forty time: 5.10 seconds (52%*) | |
| Overall Rating: |
88.6 / 100
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| Average rating of opposition Offense player has faced | ||
| Offense Rating: |
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72% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| Tackling: |
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61% |
| Pass Rush: |
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78% |
| Run Defense: |
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82% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
1st - Top 10
Overall Rank:
#9
Position rank:
#1 (DL)
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| College Games: 31 College Snaps: 1267 | ||
ESPN RATING: 83/100
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247 RATING: 96/100
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RIVALS RATING: 5.8 (95%)
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| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Omarr Norman-Lott - Tennessee |
|
88% |
| Jaquelin Roy - LSU |
|
83% |
| Lee Hunter - Texas Tech |
|
81% |
Draft Profile: Bio
Will Echoles was named Mississippi's Class 4A Mr. Football at Houston High School, where he played on both lines and finished his senior year with 59 tackles, 18 of them behind the line, and seven sacks. A four-star recruit, he was ranked 14th among defensive linemen nationally by 247Sports, was picked for the All-American Bowl and chose Ole Miss over Auburn.Echoles enrolled early and played in eight games as a freshman behind a defensive line that sent four players to the NFL, including first-round pick Walter Nolen. He started all 15 games in 2025, making 68 tackles, 11.5 of them for loss, and the Associated Press put him on its All-SEC first team. He was the defensive MVP of the Sugar Bowl win over Georgia, with five tackles, two tackles for loss and two pass breakups, as Ole Miss reached the playoff semifinal against Miami. In January he shut down transfer speculation with a social media post that read 'Home is home.'
Echoles has started every game for Ole Miss in 2026. He had seven pressures in the 32-24 win over LSU, five tackles and a sack in the 31-3 win over Missouri and three tackles in the 34-27 loss at Texas, and he has 18 pressures in eight games. Defensive coordinator Bryan Brown said it was a big deal to have him back for 2026.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Stout against the run across a heavy snap load, rarely moved off his spot
- Pressure volume is rare for an interior lineman, with 39 pressures in 2025
- Seven pressures against LSU in a September win
- Knifes gaps with quickness and turns penetration into stops behind the line
- Played 765 snaps across 15 games in 2025 without wearing down
- Sugar Bowl defensive MVP with two tackles for loss against Georgia
- Generates power through his hips to walk guards back on the bull rush
- Earned first-team All-SEC honors from the AP as a sophomore
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Tackling let him down in 2025, with 10 misses on the year
- Average timed speed limits his range outside the tackle box
- Leverage slips when his pads rise late in long drives
Scouting Report: Summary
Echoles broke out as a sophomore and became one of the most productive interior players in the country, pairing stout run defense with pressure totals that almost no defensive tackle matched. He logged 765 snaps across 15 games in 2025 and held up, knifing gaps for stops and pushing the pocket from the inside, and he saved one of his best games for the Sugar Bowl, where he was the defensive MVP against Georgia. He is still only a junior.The 2026 tape has kept the same shape. He had seven pressures in the win over LSU and a sack against Missouri, and he has 18 pressures in eight games while taking on double teams on early downs. He wins with quickness off the snap and power through his hips rather than length, and his effort does not drop in the fourth quarter.
However, there is clean-up work. Ten missed tackles in 2025 stand out, a number that drags an otherwise strong finishing profile, and his forty is ordinary, so he is not chasing ball carriers from the back side or making plays in pursuit. His pad level can climb late in long drives, and when it does, guards get into his frame and steer him out of gaps. His sack totals have also trailed the pressure numbers, which leaves some disruption on the field. None of that is fatal, but it is the difference between a good starter and a dominant one at the next level.
Overall, Echoles offers a disruptive, high-snap interior starter who wins with quickness and power. Tighten the tackling and keep the pad level down, and his ceiling rises quickly. He projects as a first-round defensive tackle and a day-one starter on any front, the rare interior player who affects the run and the pass on the same series.
How other scouting services rate Will Echoles (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
13.3
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
1.0
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank
in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance.
For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.
