South Carolina edge rusher Desmond Umeozulu commits to transfer to Alabama
NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos...
South Carolina Gamecocks edge rusher Desmond Umeozulu has committed to transfer to the Alabama Crimson Tide, per On3’s Hayes Fawcett. He has one season of eligibility remaining.
Umeozulu was the 909th-ranked player overall in the 2024 transfer cycle. He was also the 85th-ranked edge rusher. That’s according to the On3 College Football Top Transfer Portal Player rankings.
Desmond Umeozulu played his high school football at Charles Herbert Flowers in Springdale, Maryland. There, he was a four-star recruit in the Class of 2023. Umeozulu was the 150th-ranked player nationally and the 18th-ranked edge rusher in that recruiting cycle. He would choose to go to South Carolina over North Carolina and Maryland, among other Power Four programs. At the time, Cody Bellaire wrote up a scouting report on Umeozulu.
“Long-limbed edge rusher whose burst and length allow him to consistently terrorize offensive tackles on Friday nights. Towering edge defender who stands 6-foot-6, 235 pounds and sports a 6-foot-8 wingspan with 10-inch hands. Jumped a 28.5-inch vertical and ran an electronically-timed 4.65 shuttle during the spring camp circuit prior to his senior season. Quality burst off the line of scrimmage,” Bellaire wrote.
“Likes to use speed to power and possesses the arm length to initiate contact early and effectively. Strong at the point of attack and does a tremendous job anchoring in the run game. Hand usage is terrific, rarely ever stuck on blockers when defending the run or as a pass rusher. Lacks ideal suddenness and twitch, more of a smooth mover than explosive as an athlete. Solid bend and flexibility given his size. Tremendous prospect whose physical gifts raise his ceiling with technical skills that allow him to produce early on at the next level.”
In three seasons at South Carolina, Umeozulu would play in the 36 games. During that time, he had a total of 30 tackles. That included 2.5 tackles for a loss and 1.5 sacks. He would start his first career game in 2025 against Coastal Carolina.
Now, Umeozulu is set to join the Alabama Crimson Tide. Alabama is coming off a season where it went 11-4 on the season. That includes a 10-2 finish to the regular season. From that point, the Crimson Tide went to the SEC Championship Game, losing to Georgia. Then, in the College Football Playoff, Alabama earned a win against Oklahoma before losing in the Rose Bowl to Indiana.
Alabama is coming off a season where the Crimson Tide finished 56th in tackles for a loss per game, averaging 5.73. Then, the Crimson Tide were 54th in sacks per game, with 2.20. All of that helped contribute to the 20th-ranked scoring defense, with Alabama giving up 19.2 points per game.
The Transfer Portal closed on January 16th. Alabama had 23 players enter this offseason, including five players either listed as defensive linemen or edge rushers. The biggest name in that group would likely be Keon Keeley, a former five-star recruit. Alabama is still adding to the roster from the portal, preparing for Spring ball.
To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire. The On3 Transfer Portal Instagram account and Twitter account are excellent resources to stay up to date with the latest moves.
More at NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos