OXFORD — William Echoles wasn’t used to sitting on the bench.
As a true freshman defensive tackle at Ole Miss in 2024, Echoles – a four-star recruit from Houston, Mississippi, and top-100 player in 247Sports’ rankings – played in eight games, racking up a total of nine tackles. Per Pro Football Focus, the 6-foot-3, 310-pounder played a total of 121 snaps. To put it in perspective, star defensive tackle Walter Nolen logged 587 snaps
Last season was a change for Echoles, who admittedly hadn’t really had to be a backup at any other juncture in his football career. At Houston High School, Echoles played both offensive and defensive line, with the latter becoming a focus later in his prep career. He was recruited on both sides of the ball and notched 18 tackles-for-loss as a senior and helped his offense run for nearly 3,500 yards, per his Ole Miss bio.
Does Echoles miss his days as an offensive linemen? He answered without hesitation.
“No,” he said with a wide smile. “I would never go back to O-line. It’s almost like torture to these D-linemen.”
Despite his high school accolades, Echoles did not start any games as a freshman with the Rebels and did not log more than 18 snaps in an SEC game. The Rebels boasted arguably the best defensive line in college football last season with Nolen, J.J. Pegues, Jared Ivey, Princely Umanmielen and Suntarine Perkins leading the way. Ole Miss set a school record with 52 sacks and led the nation with 120 tackles-for-loss due in no small part to a star-studded – and veteran – defensive front.
More challenging than the fact college football players were bigger and faster than they were in high school was the fact Echoles spent much of his game days on the sideline. It was a learning experience.
“Going from playing to not playing … Because high school, you know how it is, you’re the main guy,” Echoles said. “So, it definitely teaches you to be patient and wait your turn.”
How did Echoles get through that difficult transition? He knew his time to shine was going to come sooner than later.
All but Perkins are gone from last year’s historically productive group, opening the door for younger players like Echoles and fellow Mississippians Kam Franklin, Jeffery Rush and Jamarious Brown for increased roles in 2025-26.
“Just controlling what I can control. Like when I got my opportunity to play in the game, just making the most of that,” Echoles said. “Because I knew, after last year ended, then it was going to be my time.”
