Twenty-two Names to Know for the Ole Miss Football Season: No. 14 Suntarine Perkins

OXFORD, Miss. –  As we lead up to week one in Vaught-Hemingway Stadium for the kickoff of Ole Miss football’s 2024 season, The Rebel Walk team is highlighting one player each day. We’ll break down who they are, how they got here, and what we expect from each.

Today, we take a look at the No. 14 player on our list, edge rusher Suntarine Perkins.

Defensive coordinator Pete Golding and defensive line coach Randall Joyner have a nice situation on their hands, with a defensive line full of enough talent to make a case to be one of the deepest lines in the country. Nearly every player possesses a great deal of SEC experience, size, strength, and overall potential in their skillset. For Perkins, he carries all of those traits and more heading into his sophomore season.

How did Suntarine Perkins arrive at Ole Miss?

In the 2023 recruiting class, Suntarine Perkins was a five-star linebacker and the No. 1 player in the state of Mississippi on every major recruiting platform due to his incredible, next-level abilities as a linebacker. Perkins attended Raleigh High School in Raleigh, Mississippi, where he led his team to a state championship his senior year. In the title game, Perkins, who also played running back, rushed for 331 yards on 32 carries while making six tackles and collecting an interception.

His recruitment eventually came down to a battle between Ole Miss and Alabama, but in the end, Suntarine decided to stay home and put on for the state of Mississippi.

Career Outlook

As a freshman at Ole Miss, there was plenty of curiosity and expectation surrounding the five-star, but to start the season, Perkins proved to be the player everyone perceived him to be. He led the Rebels against Mercer with nine total tackles while notching a sack and a pass deflection.

Against Alabama, Perkins also picked up two sacks and five tackles, keeping Jalen Milroe in the pocket for almost the entire game. Though his stats diminished somewhat as the season went further, Perkins became a crucial rotational piece for Golding, appearing in every game and allowing a number of starters to rest up on plays when they needed to.

True Freshman @suntarine Perkins 😤😤

📺 CBS pic.twitter.com/AxRlBh4Kaf

— Ole Miss Football (@OleMissFB) September 23, 2023

Heading into 2024

Going into his sophomore year, the expectations have only increased for Perkins. The last time we spoke with Perkins in early August, he informed The Rebel Walk that he currently weighs 210 pounds and has been requested to weigh 225 pounds by the time the season starts. With the help of his favorite fast food restaurant, “Taco Bell,” Perkins believes that in the near future his weight-gain goal will be accomplished.

In terms of football, it’s important to recognize that for the majority of his career, Perkins has always played linebacker, but with his speed, ability to shed blocks, and strength, it seems that he may be better off on the line of scrimmage.

Year 2 I’m waiting on you
And any opponent ⏰ pic.twitter.com/ThDXSL75dP

— suntarine perkins (@suntarine) July 27, 2024

As well as edge rushing, Perkins is a player who can also drop into coverage to guard a tight end or running back due to his athleticism and physicality. While we assume that Perkins will spend most of his time on the defensive line, this is a player who can rotate into all of the linebacker spots at any given moment. His versatility will allow him to become a very important part of the Rebels’ 2024 defense.

Camp Notes

So far in camp, Perkins has been working with Coach Joyner on individual defensive line drills, alongside veterans such as Jared Ivey, JJ Pegues, Zxavian Harris, Walter Nolen, Akelo Stone, and so many other talented players. As stated above, even if Perkins finds himself as a rotational piece for Ole Miss, his role is going to increase in a large way compared to last season.

He’ll have the opportunity to learn from several future NFL Draft picks while broadening and expanding his experience on the football field. Make sure to keep your eyes out for No. 4 this fall!