The Ole Miss Rebels are in the process of constructing their roster for the 2025 season, and reports this week have indicated that they are retaining a piece from their defensive line in the process.
Inside the Rebels and Ole Miss Spirit have reported that Ole Miss defensive lineman Akelo Stone is set to return for another year of action with the Rebels, marking his sixth year of college football. Stone previously played three seasons for Georgia Tech before spending the last two years in Oxford.
Stone became a key rotational piece for the Ole Miss defensive front, but a lower body injury kept him out of some action in 2024. He finished the season with 14 tackles, one pass deflection and 1.5 sacks, but his role on the interior could grow next season with so much talent departing for the NFL Draft.
The Rebels are set to lose a lot of professional prospects off of their defensive front this offseason, including tackles Walter Nolen and JJ Pegues and edge rushers Princely Umanmielen and Jared Ivey. Alongside Stone, Ole Miss is expected to return Kam Franklin, William Echoles, Jamarious Brown, Zxavian Harris and Suntarine Perkins.
The Rebels have also added some key edge rushers out of the portal in Da’Shawn Womack and Princewill Umanmielen, the younger brother of Princely.
Ole Miss will open its 2025 season at home against Georgia State on Aug. 30.