Alabama lands veteran edge transfer from South Carolina
By Sydney Hunte
Published:
Alabama lost Keon Keeley to Notre Dame and Qua Russaw to Ohio State after the edge rushers entered the transfer portal after three seasons with the Crimson Tide.
On Sunday, the Tide landed a player who is looking to make the most of the final season of his college career.
Desmond Umeozulu, a member of South Carolina‘s 2023 recruiting class, has committed to Alabama, he told On3’s Hayes Fawcett. The Upper Marlboro, Md., product was formerly a four-star recruit for Shane Beamer‘s program and initially signed with the Gamecocks over North Carolina, Ohio State, and Pitt.
Umeozulu’s first season with the Gamecocks was primarily spent in a reserve role, as he recorded nine tackles in 12 games. In 2024, he appeared in all but one of South Carolina’s contests, finishing the year with a pair of tackles and 0.5 sacks. He put together a more modest stat line in 2025, posting 19 tackles, 2.0 tackles for a loss, and 1.0 sacks.
Alabama now has 15 players committed to the program from the transfer portal. The Crimson Tide have four other defensive linemen pledged in this cycle: Terrance Green (Oregon), Kedrick Bingley-Jones (Mississippi State), Caleb Smith (Washington), and Devan Thompkins (USC).
Sydney is an Atlanta-based journalist who has covered everything from SEC and ACC football to MLS, the U.S. men's national soccer team and professional tennis. His work has appeared on such platforms as SB Nation, Cox Media Group and FanSided.
