April 25, 2025 • 10 mins
Princely Umanmielen speaks with the media after being selected by the Panthers in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
A pun for the review.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
Greetings, Princely, Congratulations, good and good luck and good sorry
and good luck on your journey. The Panthers obviously did
their homework on you meeting at the at the Senior
Bowl and having a pre draft visit. What was the
connection and the vibes like during those initial talks and
(00:29):
how do you see your fit coming into the Panthers?
Speaker 3 (00:34):
I mean, the vibes there was that was cool, seemed interested.
It was just the.
Speaker 4 (00:38):
Vibe of any other you know, NFL interview. What was
the second half of that question.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
I did to see what how you see your fit
coming into the defense that obviously needs help.
Speaker 3 (00:51):
Oh yeah, for sure. I just see myself as a
guy that can you know, I just.
Speaker 4 (00:55):
Want to have a goal to come in and just
make a difference and help the team in any way
that I possible.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
All Right, thanks a lot, good luck, Thank you, I
appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (01:04):
Hey, Princely.
Speaker 5 (01:04):
Mike K from the Charlotte Observer, Congratulations, thank you. Well,
we just talked to Dan and he talked about how
good your bend is as an edge rusher. Obviously, it's
probably something you take a lot of pride in. What
about being able to just turn that.
Speaker 3 (01:19):
Corner makes you so good man.
Speaker 4 (01:22):
I think, I think when when having that ability just
helps me to win fast, Like you know what I'm saying,
Like for example, Uh, I'm not you know, I'm not
a guy that sits there and does too much with
the offensive tackle. If I if I can beat you now,
I'm gonna beat you now and not give the quarterback
anytime with my bend and speed.
Speaker 5 (01:41):
Is there a guy that you kind of see as
like a similar guy who can just win around the
edge with speed and bend.
Speaker 3 (01:47):
I would say, like von Miller, Yeah.
Speaker 5 (01:53):
And then you know, Princely is obviously a rare name
to have. What's what's the story behind your name?
Speaker 3 (02:02):
It has to do with my Nigerian heritage.
Speaker 4 (02:06):
I was like before Nigeria was colonized, it was like
it was just a bunch of different, you know type
like groups of people. And my grandpa was like a
chief or like a king of a village or whatever.
So my dad wanted to keep it alive, so he
named all his kids prince something awesome.
Speaker 5 (02:23):
Thank you so much for your help.
Speaker 6 (02:25):
Mm hmm, hey, Princely, congratulations, Thank you. On that note,
What are some of the other versions of prince or
princely that your family is named, Well, my.
Speaker 4 (02:37):
Big brother's name is prince, I'm princely, little brother Prince
Will and then the last one is Princeton.
Speaker 6 (02:43):
Does the do the nicknames get confusing on that?
Speaker 3 (02:46):
Or yeah, my parents still get confused.
Speaker 6 (02:49):
Call for one and everybody comes.
Speaker 3 (02:52):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (02:53):
I'm sure you were watching the draft tonight. Not long
before the Panthers drafted you, they also took Nick Gorton
out of Texas A And now, what do you kind
of know about his game and what do you think
the two of you can do together coming in in
the same class.
Speaker 4 (03:06):
I'm not gonna lie, I'm not too familiar with him,
But if they picked them out high, obviously they you know,
see something in them. So I'm just ready to go
in and dominate with them.
Speaker 6 (03:16):
And then when we talked to the Senior Bowl, you
talked about how important it was for you to get
to that double digit sack number in your last year.
What all did you think made the biggest difference in
your in your game? What did you do to make
the biggest difference to help that happen.
Speaker 3 (03:31):
I'm not gonna lie.
Speaker 4 (03:31):
I did a lot of things, like for example, I
did a lot of stuff off the field, like just uh,
taking care of my taking care of my body and
things of that nature. But man, I feel like one
of the biggest things was just having having other elite
guys around him, you know, like I had Walter Nolan,
(03:54):
Walton Olan, Jared Ivy, j j Peghee, uh, Senserine Perkins,
you know, other elite guys that the pressure, the focus
didn't have to be on me all the time every game,
you know, So I was able to get loose a little.
Speaker 1 (04:06):
Bit, and I'm so sorry.
Speaker 6 (04:09):
Just one more quick one from me. I forgot to
ask your grandpa that was the chief. Do you know
what his name was?
Speaker 3 (04:15):
I don't. I honestly don't because I never I didn't
meet I never met him. He was when I was
a baby. He died when I was a baby.
Speaker 6 (04:21):
Okay, yeah, sounds good. Congratulations again, thank you, I appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (04:27):
All right.
Speaker 3 (04:28):
We will go over to David, followed.
Speaker 1 (04:30):
By Joe Hey Princey.
Speaker 7 (04:32):
David ESPN dot Com, Congratulations home being big. I wanted
to ask you, and you mentioned von Miller kind of
comparing your games a little bit, kind of expand on
that a little bit. What do you see is there similarities?
Is that a guy that you kind of modeled yourself
after or how to why'd you come up with him?
Speaker 3 (04:49):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (04:49):
I wouldn't say I modeled, because, like when I played football,
it's kind of like a just instinctial thing. I never
really tried to, Like I've watched people games and try
to take you know, little pieces and of technique. But
when I when I say that name, I think it's
just I could make a comparison because I see like
the way I play, I think it's similar as far
as bending around tackles and speed off the edge.
Speaker 7 (05:14):
They sounds like you got a pretty high motor there, yes, sir,
So what what's your best move?
Speaker 3 (05:20):
I would say a top rip.
Speaker 7 (05:23):
Any example in this past year where you use that
that we can go back and look at and probably just.
Speaker 4 (05:29):
Like UH versus the versus the offensive tackle in UH
in versus Georgia and also versus Arkansas, it's kind of
like when I just run around a guy and chop
their arm down and get around them.
Speaker 1 (05:43):
I appreciate it.
Speaker 7 (05:44):
Congrats again, sir, for sure, Thank you.
Speaker 1 (05:46):
Hey Princeley, can you hear me?
Speaker 3 (05:48):
Yeah? I hear how you're doing?
Speaker 1 (05:50):
Hey, man, congrats. Do you have a party tonight? Where
are we do? I had a little Yes, sir, you're
at the year at the Crib in Texas or where?
Speaker 3 (06:00):
Yeah, I'm in Texas?
Speaker 1 (06:01):
Okay, good? Good? How many people you have over?
Speaker 4 (06:04):
I'll say maybe like thirty through fifty. I can't really,
that's probably the rains.
Speaker 1 (06:09):
Yeah. Yeah. One thing Dave Canalis was talking about is
being able to watch you and Scort and go against
Will Campbell and pretty much NFL type competition every week
in the SBC. What do you think that that SEC
and you you were two different SEC schools. What did
(06:30):
that do for you?
Speaker 3 (06:32):
Man?
Speaker 4 (06:32):
It's just I was actually committed to Texas and high school,
and I decommitted because I wanted to play in the SEC.
They were in a Big twelve at the time. I
just feel like the SEC is the best competition in
competition conference in college football, you know. I feel like
going up against SEC tackles every week prepares us as
SEC defenders better than any other defender than any other conference.
Speaker 1 (06:57):
Did did you take a thirty visit here?
Speaker 3 (07:00):
Yes, sir?
Speaker 1 (07:01):
What was that like? Who did you meet? Any kind
of cool impressions of the building or the even the city.
Speaker 3 (07:09):
Yeah, it was nice.
Speaker 4 (07:09):
Didn't really get to see the city too much. It
was just in and out. I met pretty much everyone
on the defensive staff and the GM and the head coach,
and it was just a great vibe. Like I told
the head coach when I when I was in the
meeting with him that I loved their uh that I
loved their their staff. Like when I was there, their
staff just seemed like they were really really like coordinated
(07:32):
and just knew what was going on. It almost seemed
like I was uh like you would you would think
it was like a super Bowl winning staff the past
season the way Uh, that's how I felt like. They
felt like a winning program staff. And I just felt
really comfortable with.
Speaker 1 (07:47):
Thanks very much, yes, sir, all right, we have time
for a couple more.
Speaker 3 (07:52):
We will go over to Alex.
Speaker 8 (07:55):
What's up, Princely Alex Alex Zettler with the Charlotte Observer.
Speaker 3 (08:00):
How you doing? What's up?
Speaker 1 (08:01):
Man?
Speaker 8 (08:02):
When did you start playing football?
Speaker 3 (08:04):
I was nine?
Speaker 8 (08:07):
Was football your favorite sport growing up or did you
have multiple?
Speaker 3 (08:12):
I think football was my favorite.
Speaker 4 (08:13):
I played basketball also, but I think, yeah, football is
probably my favorite.
Speaker 8 (08:17):
Do you you was it an athletic family, where all
your siblings also athletes as well?
Speaker 4 (08:25):
Yeah, all my siblings are athletes. Also, my little brother
goes to Ole Miss right now. My big brother is
trying to get drafted also might go to the CFL.
And then my youngest brother, he's in high school playing football.
Speaker 8 (08:35):
Also, Oh my goodness, were your parents athletic parents as well?
Speaker 3 (08:42):
I mean, I'm not sure. I know they didn't play
no football, that's fair.
Speaker 8 (08:49):
Final final question for me, just more about your game.
Is there one part of your game that you think
that there's a misperception of that you want to prove.
Speaker 3 (09:01):
I think, I think the power aspect of my game.
Speaker 4 (09:03):
I think I'm a really powerful guy, and people kind
of don't really acknowledge that.
Speaker 3 (09:07):
But I feel like it's because when I.
Speaker 4 (09:09):
Was in college, I really was like a little bit
spoiled when it I would I don't know if I
was spoiled.
Speaker 3 (09:14):
Maybe I'm just that good, you know what I'm saying.
Speaker 4 (09:15):
When we're to the point where I didn't really have
to use power against office attackles, I was winning with
my move so there was no reason to convert the power.
But there was times where I go power and it
does show up on film a lot. You know, I
squat seven hundred pounds, so I know I have a
lot of power, and I just feel like just showing
that a little.
Speaker 3 (09:32):
More great sound was good. Thanks man, Yes, sir, all right.
Speaker 1 (09:37):
And we will finish off with Scott Hi princely congratulations
than you.
Speaker 3 (09:45):
I think we know how to do this, but just
to make sure, can you pronounce your last name for us?
Who man yelling? Who man me yelling?
Speaker 1 (09:53):
Okay, sir, and your brother that was maybe go to
the CFL. What was his name again?
Speaker 3 (09:58):
And what position is he? Prince? He plays d lin.
Speaker 1 (10:02):
Okay.
Speaker 3 (10:02):
How far apart are you guys in age? About a year?
In like eight months? Okay?
Speaker 1 (10:09):
All right, we look forward to having you here.
Speaker 3 (10:11):
Thank you, sir, Thank you.
Speaker 1 (10:14):
All right, Thank you so much. Princely.
Speaker 3 (10:16):
Congratulations again. We can't wait to have you here with
us in Carolina. Thank you. I appreciate it.
A pun for the review.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
Greetings, Princely, Congratulations, good and good luck and good sorry
and good luck on your journey. The Panthers obviously did
their homework on you meeting at the at the Senior
Bowl and having a pre draft visit. What was the
connection and the vibes like during those initial talks and
(00:29):
how do you see your fit coming into the Panthers?
Speaker 3 (00:34):
I mean, the vibes there was that was cool, seemed interested.
It was just the.
Speaker 4 (00:38):
Vibe of any other you know, NFL interview. What was
the second half of that question.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
I did to see what how you see your fit
coming into the defense that obviously needs help.
Speaker 3 (00:51):
Oh yeah, for sure. I just see myself as a
guy that can you know, I just.
Speaker 4 (00:55):
Want to have a goal to come in and just
make a difference and help the team in any way
that I possible.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
All Right, thanks a lot, good luck, Thank you, I
appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (01:04):
Hey, Princely.
Speaker 5 (01:04):
Mike K from the Charlotte Observer, Congratulations, thank you. Well,
we just talked to Dan and he talked about how
good your bend is as an edge rusher. Obviously, it's
probably something you take a lot of pride in. What
about being able to just turn that.
Speaker 3 (01:19):
Corner makes you so good man.
Speaker 4 (01:22):
I think, I think when when having that ability just
helps me to win fast, Like you know what I'm saying,
Like for example, Uh, I'm not you know, I'm not
a guy that sits there and does too much with
the offensive tackle. If I if I can beat you now,
I'm gonna beat you now and not give the quarterback
anytime with my bend and speed.
Speaker 5 (01:41):
Is there a guy that you kind of see as
like a similar guy who can just win around the
edge with speed and bend.
Speaker 3 (01:47):
I would say, like von Miller, Yeah.
Speaker 5 (01:53):
And then you know, Princely is obviously a rare name
to have. What's what's the story behind your name?
Speaker 3 (02:02):
It has to do with my Nigerian heritage.
Speaker 4 (02:06):
I was like before Nigeria was colonized, it was like
it was just a bunch of different, you know type
like groups of people. And my grandpa was like a
chief or like a king of a village or whatever.
So my dad wanted to keep it alive, so he
named all his kids prince something awesome.
Speaker 5 (02:23):
Thank you so much for your help.
Speaker 6 (02:25):
Mm hmm, hey, Princely, congratulations, Thank you. On that note,
What are some of the other versions of prince or
princely that your family is named, Well, my.
Speaker 4 (02:37):
Big brother's name is prince, I'm princely, little brother Prince
Will and then the last one is Princeton.
Speaker 6 (02:43):
Does the do the nicknames get confusing on that?
Speaker 3 (02:46):
Or yeah, my parents still get confused.
Speaker 6 (02:49):
Call for one and everybody comes.
Speaker 3 (02:52):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (02:53):
I'm sure you were watching the draft tonight. Not long
before the Panthers drafted you, they also took Nick Gorton
out of Texas A And now, what do you kind
of know about his game and what do you think
the two of you can do together coming in in
the same class.
Speaker 4 (03:06):
I'm not gonna lie, I'm not too familiar with him,
But if they picked them out high, obviously they you know,
see something in them. So I'm just ready to go
in and dominate with them.
Speaker 6 (03:16):
And then when we talked to the Senior Bowl, you
talked about how important it was for you to get
to that double digit sack number in your last year.
What all did you think made the biggest difference in
your in your game? What did you do to make
the biggest difference to help that happen.
Speaker 3 (03:31):
I'm not gonna lie.
Speaker 4 (03:31):
I did a lot of things, like for example, I
did a lot of stuff off the field, like just uh,
taking care of my taking care of my body and
things of that nature. But man, I feel like one
of the biggest things was just having having other elite
guys around him, you know, like I had Walter Nolan,
(03:54):
Walton Olan, Jared Ivy, j j Peghee, uh, Senserine Perkins,
you know, other elite guys that the pressure, the focus
didn't have to be on me all the time every game,
you know, So I was able to get loose a little.
Speaker 1 (04:06):
Bit, and I'm so sorry.
Speaker 6 (04:09):
Just one more quick one from me. I forgot to
ask your grandpa that was the chief. Do you know
what his name was?
Speaker 3 (04:15):
I don't. I honestly don't because I never I didn't
meet I never met him. He was when I was
a baby. He died when I was a baby.
Speaker 6 (04:21):
Okay, yeah, sounds good. Congratulations again, thank you, I appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (04:27):
All right.
Speaker 3 (04:28):
We will go over to David, followed.
Speaker 1 (04:30):
By Joe Hey Princey.
Speaker 7 (04:32):
David ESPN dot Com, Congratulations home being big. I wanted
to ask you, and you mentioned von Miller kind of
comparing your games a little bit, kind of expand on
that a little bit. What do you see is there similarities?
Is that a guy that you kind of modeled yourself
after or how to why'd you come up with him?
Speaker 3 (04:49):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (04:49):
I wouldn't say I modeled, because, like when I played football,
it's kind of like a just instinctial thing. I never
really tried to, Like I've watched people games and try
to take you know, little pieces and of technique. But
when I when I say that name, I think it's
just I could make a comparison because I see like
the way I play, I think it's similar as far
as bending around tackles and speed off the edge.
Speaker 7 (05:14):
They sounds like you got a pretty high motor there, yes, sir,
So what what's your best move?
Speaker 3 (05:20):
I would say a top rip.
Speaker 7 (05:23):
Any example in this past year where you use that
that we can go back and look at and probably just.
Speaker 4 (05:29):
Like UH versus the versus the offensive tackle in UH
in versus Georgia and also versus Arkansas, it's kind of
like when I just run around a guy and chop
their arm down and get around them.
Speaker 1 (05:43):
I appreciate it.
Speaker 7 (05:44):
Congrats again, sir, for sure, Thank you.
Speaker 1 (05:46):
Hey Princeley, can you hear me?
Speaker 3 (05:48):
Yeah? I hear how you're doing?
Speaker 1 (05:50):
Hey, man, congrats. Do you have a party tonight? Where
are we do? I had a little Yes, sir, you're
at the year at the Crib in Texas or where?
Speaker 3 (06:00):
Yeah, I'm in Texas?
Speaker 1 (06:01):
Okay, good? Good? How many people you have over?
Speaker 4 (06:04):
I'll say maybe like thirty through fifty. I can't really,
that's probably the rains.
Speaker 1 (06:09):
Yeah. Yeah. One thing Dave Canalis was talking about is
being able to watch you and Scort and go against
Will Campbell and pretty much NFL type competition every week
in the SBC. What do you think that that SEC
and you you were two different SEC schools. What did
(06:30):
that do for you?
Speaker 3 (06:32):
Man?
Speaker 4 (06:32):
It's just I was actually committed to Texas and high school,
and I decommitted because I wanted to play in the SEC.
They were in a Big twelve at the time. I
just feel like the SEC is the best competition in
competition conference in college football, you know. I feel like
going up against SEC tackles every week prepares us as
SEC defenders better than any other defender than any other conference.
Speaker 1 (06:57):
Did did you take a thirty visit here?
Speaker 3 (07:00):
Yes, sir?
Speaker 1 (07:01):
What was that like? Who did you meet? Any kind
of cool impressions of the building or the even the city.
Speaker 3 (07:09):
Yeah, it was nice.
Speaker 4 (07:09):
Didn't really get to see the city too much. It
was just in and out. I met pretty much everyone
on the defensive staff and the GM and the head coach,
and it was just a great vibe. Like I told
the head coach when I when I was in the
meeting with him that I loved their uh that I
loved their their staff. Like when I was there, their
staff just seemed like they were really really like coordinated
(07:32):
and just knew what was going on. It almost seemed
like I was uh like you would you would think
it was like a super Bowl winning staff the past
season the way Uh, that's how I felt like. They
felt like a winning program staff. And I just felt
really comfortable with.
Speaker 1 (07:47):
Thanks very much, yes, sir, all right, we have time
for a couple more.
Speaker 3 (07:52):
We will go over to Alex.
Speaker 8 (07:55):
What's up, Princely Alex Alex Zettler with the Charlotte Observer.
Speaker 3 (08:00):
How you doing? What's up?
Speaker 1 (08:01):
Man?
Speaker 8 (08:02):
When did you start playing football?
Speaker 3 (08:04):
I was nine?
Speaker 8 (08:07):
Was football your favorite sport growing up or did you
have multiple?
Speaker 3 (08:12):
I think football was my favorite.
Speaker 4 (08:13):
I played basketball also, but I think, yeah, football is
probably my favorite.
Speaker 8 (08:17):
Do you you was it an athletic family, where all
your siblings also athletes as well?
Speaker 4 (08:25):
Yeah, all my siblings are athletes. Also, my little brother
goes to Ole Miss right now. My big brother is
trying to get drafted also might go to the CFL.
And then my youngest brother, he's in high school playing football.
Speaker 8 (08:35):
Also, Oh my goodness, were your parents athletic parents as well?
Speaker 3 (08:42):
I mean, I'm not sure. I know they didn't play
no football, that's fair.
Speaker 8 (08:49):
Final final question for me, just more about your game.
Is there one part of your game that you think
that there's a misperception of that you want to prove.
Speaker 3 (09:01):
I think, I think the power aspect of my game.
Speaker 4 (09:03):
I think I'm a really powerful guy, and people kind
of don't really acknowledge that.
Speaker 3 (09:07):
But I feel like it's because when I.
Speaker 4 (09:09):
Was in college, I really was like a little bit
spoiled when it I would I don't know if I
was spoiled.
Speaker 3 (09:14):
Maybe I'm just that good, you know what I'm saying.
Speaker 4 (09:15):
When we're to the point where I didn't really have
to use power against office attackles, I was winning with
my move so there was no reason to convert the power.
But there was times where I go power and it
does show up on film a lot. You know, I
squat seven hundred pounds, so I know I have a
lot of power, and I just feel like just showing
that a little.
Speaker 3 (09:32):
More great sound was good. Thanks man, Yes, sir, all right.
Speaker 1 (09:37):
And we will finish off with Scott Hi princely congratulations
than you.
Speaker 3 (09:45):
I think we know how to do this, but just
to make sure, can you pronounce your last name for us?
Who man yelling? Who man me yelling?
Speaker 1 (09:53):
Okay, sir, and your brother that was maybe go to
the CFL. What was his name again?
Speaker 3 (09:58):
And what position is he? Prince? He plays d lin.
Speaker 1 (10:02):
Okay.
Speaker 3 (10:02):
How far apart are you guys in age? About a year?
In like eight months? Okay?
Speaker 1 (10:09):
All right, we look forward to having you here.
Speaker 3 (10:11):
Thank you, sir, Thank you.
Speaker 1 (10:14):
All right, Thank you so much. Princely.
Speaker 3 (10:16):
Congratulations again. We can't wait to have you here with
us in Carolina. Thank you. I appreciate it.
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