Exclusive Interview with Ole Miss’ Will Echoles: The star defensive tackle talks motivation, leadership, and future of Rebels’ D-Line
OXFORD, Miss. – Ole Miss defensive tackle Will Echoles joined The Rebel Talk podcast presented by The Rebel Walk live in the Manning Center following practice Thursday to discuss a wide variety of topics.
Tune in with this link: https://youtu.be/xtHRC_gIHKQ?si=1jPMfoYXK7_zSmSX or watch below:
Looking at his high school career, Will’s ranking as an underclassman did not reflect the type of player he was until his senior year, when he gained a great deal of recognition for his outstanding skills and became the No. 1-ranked player in the state of Mississippi. Echoles informed us how being underrated kept him motivated through high school.
In yesterday’s live podcast, @kam_wicker and @ZachMoreth sat down with defensive tackle Will Echoles to discuss his decision to come to Ole Miss over State, and expectations heading into his second year.
WATCH: https://t.co/0xxoHw3UnH via @YouTube
— The Rebel Walk (@TheRebelWalk) April 18, 2025
“I didn’t really blow up until my senior year… I always felt like I was underrated, and it kept a fire under me to go hard because I knew I was one of the best players in the state, if not the best. The thought of somebody thinking there were 30 players better than me just really lit that fuel under me to keep going.“
– Echoles on his motivation
In another area of conversation, we also asked Will about the current state of the defensive line room, which saw the departure of future NFL draft picks Princely Umanmielen, Walter Nolen, Jared Ivey, JJ Pegues, and others.
“There’s no drop-off, but right now we have a very hard-working group. There are different pieces, and our defensive line is probably the most underexperienced defensive line for Ole Miss in a long time. We actually have to work because we don’t have the experience, so we have to take advantage of every opportunity we get.“
– Echoles on the state of the D-line room
For the complete interview that includes discussions on his relationship with Super Bowl champion Chris Jones, also from Houston, Mississippi, his NCAA College Football rating, and what team he’s most excited to play this fall, tune into The Rebel Walk YouTube channel, leave a like, and subscribe. Hotty Toddy, and Go Rebs!
Again, you can tune in here:
