LSU edge rusher Princewill Umanmielen and offensive lineman Devin Harper are arguing they signed their revenue-sharing deals with Ole Miss for the 2026 season under “undue pressure” from the Rebels’ coaching staff and shouldn’t be liable for the buyout money the university is suing for.
Umanmielen and Harper, who re-signed with Ole Miss in January before following ex-Rebels coach Lane Kiffin to LSU, are also requesting a change of venue for their court cases.
Ole Miss has sought $550,000 from Umanmielen and $400,000 from Harper, plus legal fees. They were sued by their former university in late July, and Umanmielen, the Tigers’ sack leader, was served papers in the lawsuit during the week of LSU’s Sept. 19 game at Ole Miss.
Harper and Umanmielen’s attorney, Grafton E. Bragg, wrote in petitions for a change of venue that his clients believe there is “prejudice existing in the public mind” in Lafayette County, which is where Oxford, Mississippi, is located.
“Princewill cannot obtain a fair and impartial trial in Lafayette County, Mississippi,” the petition for Umanmielen said.
Bragg argues that Ole Miss can’t collect under the “purported liquidated damages provision” in its 2026 revenue-sharing deals because Umanmielen and Harper weren’t paid anything from the contracts and the damages being requested “bear no reasonable relationship to any actual harm that Ole Miss may have sustained.”
The filings listed 15 defenses against Ole Miss’ claims, including “duress,” “undue influence” and damage caps in the U.S. and Mississippi constitutions. Another says “Ole Miss has unclean hands and is entitled to no relief.”
“Given Princewill’s age and the nature of the alleged agreement, Princewill may have lacked the legal capacity to contract and affirmatively pleads that defense,” reads another.
Umanmielen, who turned 21 a month after he transferred to LSU, currently leads the Tigers in sacks (8.5) and tackles for loss (12). He also led the Rebels in sacks last season, with nine, after transferring in from Nebraska.
According to Ole Miss’ timeline of events, Umanmielen inked a new deal with the Rebels at 10:02 p.m. on Jan. 3, which was five days before Ole Miss played in the College Football Playoff semifinals.
He entered the transfer portal on Jan. 15, a week after a CFP loss to Miami and just one day before the portal window for college football closed. Umanmielen signed with LSU the following week.
Harper signed with Ole Miss at 8:19 a.m. on Jan. 6, according to the university, and later entered the portal before it closed.
Ole Miss asked LSU to pay Umanmielen and Harper’s buyouts. LSU declined on the basis that it wasn’t a party to the athletes’ contracts, therefore not liable.
“The University of Mississippi values its student-athletes and is committed to honoring all obligations made to them. In return, the university expects that same commitment from its student-athletes and their representatives in upholding their contracts,” Ole Miss said in a statement when its lawsuits were filed.
A third LSU football player, offensive lineman Sean Thompkins, was sued by Baylor in late October for allegedly breaking his NIL agreement with the school and not making payments toward an $85,000 settlement agreement.
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