Ole Miss EDGE Suntarine Perkins will miss time due to offseason surgery

OXFORD, Miss. — Ole Miss EDGE Suntarine Perkins will miss time, and likely spring practice, due to surgery for a labrum injury, as first reported by Chuck Rounsaville. Our sources confirm the surgery but have not given a timetable for Perkins’ return.

The former five-star recruit from Raleigh, Miss. finished an outstanding sophomore season as he was named a Third Team All-SEC defensive lineman and All-America Honorable Mention by Phil Steele.

In the 2024 season, Perkins played in 13 games, starting eight for Ole Miss, playing at the defensive end position. Perkins was fourth on the team in total tackles this past season, notching 60. Of those, 32 were solo stops. Additionally, he tallied two fumble recoveries, an interception and nine quarterback hurries.

We spoke with Dr. Chad Altmyer of Specialty Orthopedic Group of Mississippi about labral repair surgery. Dr. Altmyer is a fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon, board certified as both a sports medicine specialist and a foot and ankle specialist. While he cannot speak specifically on Perkins’ injury, Dr. Altmyer says the typical recovery time for labral repair surgery is approximately four months.

Perkins was a significant part of Pete Golding’s defensive unit that finished with the best rushing-yard-per-carry average in the nation, giving up just 2.29 yards per rush. As a team, the Rebels gave up just 80.5 yards per game rushing, second in the nation only to Indiana’s 80.2 average.

Perkins finished with 10.5 sacks on the season, contributing to the defense’s school-record 52 sacks on the season. He also notched 14 tackles for loss in 2024, part of the Rebels’ school-record 120 TFLs on the season.

🏈 SEC Defensive Player of the Week: WK 6

🔵 Suntarine Perkins@OleMissFB x #SECFB pic.twitter.com/HIeUBrIItr

— Southeastern Conference (@SEC) October 7, 2024

🏈 SEC Defensive Player of the Week: WK 9

🔴 Suntarine Perkins@OleMissFB x #SECFB pic.twitter.com/0ImtPqwmoy

— Southeastern Conference (@SEC) October 28, 2024

Suntarine Perkins Bio at Ole Miss

2024 (SOPHOMORE): All-America Honorable Mention (Phil Steele) … All-SEC third team (Coaches, Phil Steele, CFN) … Played in all 13 games for the Rebels and started eight, all at defensive end, helping anchor the best rush defense in the nation and one of the best defenses in Ole Miss history … Contributed to team school records in sacks (52) and tackles for loss (120), which both led the nation … Fourth on the team with 60 total tackles (32 solo) … Tied for the team lead in both TFL (14.0 for 70 yards) and sacks (10.5 for 63 yards) … Finished tied for second in Ole Miss single-season history in sacks (10.5) and tied for 10th in TFL (14.0) … Added nine QB hurries, two fumble recoveries and one interception … Recorded three double-digit tackle games, three games with multiple TFL and two with multiple sacks … vs. Duke (01/02/25): Started at DE, assisted on two tackles and recorded one QB hurry in Ole Miss’ Gator Bowl victory … vs. Mississippi State (11/29/24): Started at DE, assisted on one tackl and recovered a fumble … at Florida (11/23/24): Started at DE, tied for team lead with 10 tackles (four solo) with a half sack … vs. #2 Georgia (11/09/24): Started at DE, recorded two tackles with one solo sack, one fumble recovery and tied his career-high with three QB hurries … at Arkansas (11/02/24): Started at DE, had four tackles (two solo) and a half-sack … vs. Oklahoma (10/26/24): Started at DE, led team with 11 tackles and a career-high 5.0 TFL for 15 yards and 4.0 sacks for 14 yards, the most sacks by a Rebel since 1993 … Named Walter Camp National Defensive Player of the Week and SEC Co-Defensive Player of the Week … at #10 LSU (10/12/24): Started at DE, notched five tackles (three solo), assisted on a TFL and recorded three QB hurries … at South Carolina (10/05/24): Started at DE, made career-high 12 tackles (six solo), with 2.0 TFL and a sack … SEC Defensive Player of the Week … vs. Kentucky (09/28/24): Had six tackles (five solo) and two sacks … vs. Georgia Southern (09/21/24): Earned two tackles, a solo TFL and a QB hurry … at Wake Forest (09/14/24): Registered one sack on two solo tackles and an interception … vs. Middle Tennessee (09/07/24): Appeared in 39 total plays, recording three tackles and a half-sack … vs. Furman (08/31/24): Tallied one QB hurry in 31 total snaps.

2023 (FRESHMAN): Freshman All-American (College Football Network) …Freshman All-SEC (Coaches) … Appeared in all 13 games and started two in his first season with the Rebels, playing 429 total snaps across defense and special teams … Among the best freshmen defenders nationally in sacks … Led all Ole Miss freshman with 38 total tackles (18 solo), 5.5 TFL, 3.5 sacks, one pass breakup and one QB hurry … Tied for third on the Rebel defense at 3.5 sacks … vs. Mercer (9/2/23): Led Rebels in total tackles (9) and solo tackles (4) in his collegiate debut … Also added in his first career sack for a loss of five yards and his first pass breakup … at #22 Tulane (9/9/23): Played 19 total snaps across defense and special teams … vs. Georgia Tech (9/16/23): Tallied four total tackles, including three solo tackles in 46 defensive and special team snaps … at #12 Alabama (9/23/23): Started his first collegiate game and made five tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks, his first career multi-sack game … vs. #12 LSU (9/30/23): Played 61 defensive snaps, assisted on two total tackles … vs. Arkansas (10/7/23): Saw action on 28 defensive snaps, recorded four tackles (one solo) and one half sack … at Auburn (10/21/23): Started at linebacker and made five total tackles (four solo), including on tackle for loss … SEC Co-Freshman of the Week … vs. Vanderbilt (10/28/23): Appeared on 35 defensive snaps, assisting on one tackle … vs. Texas A&M (11/4/23): Notched two tackles (one solo) and one QB hurry in 26 total snaps across defense and special teams … at #1 Georgia (11/11/23): Assisted on one tackle in 28 total snaps … vs. ULM (11/18/23): Recorded three total tackles (one solo), assisted on a half TFL in 26 total snaps … at Mississippi State (11/23/23): Played 14 total snaps across defense and special teams … vs. Penn State (12/30/23): Notched two solo tackles in 31 total snaps across defense and special teams in Ole Miss’ Peach Bowl victory … On3 Midseason Freshman All-American … Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award Preseason Watch List … Member of the 2022-23 signing class.

We pray for a speedy and successful recovery for Suntarine.