Former South Carolina Edge Finds Home With SEC Foe Out of the Transfer Portal

Originally posted on South Carolina Gamecocks on SI
By Alex Joyce | Last updated Jan 19, 2026 9:40 AM ET

Fisher Brewer

After entering the transfer portal on Jan. 15, former Gamecocks edge rusher Desmond Umeozulu has found another home within the SEC. On3 Sports' Haye Fawcett reports Umeozulu will join the Alabama Crimson Tide for his final season in 2026.

Umeozulu was the third edge rusher to leave the Gamecocks in the transfer portal this offseason. He joins Jaylen Brown (LSU) and Taeshawn Alston as those players who have transferred. Alston is the only player from that list who has not found a new home so far.

Desmond Umeozulu is a former four-star and top 150 player overall in the 2023 class from C.H. Flowers High School in Upper Malboro, Maryland. At the time his commitment was a huge recruiting win for the team. He was described as a player who had the ideal size to play at the next level with nice twitch and athleticism coming off the edge.

While playing in a lot of games in his three seasons with the team, Umeozulu mainly served as a reserve edged rusher. In 36 games played, including one start, he recorded 30 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, and 1.5 sacks.

Transfer Portal Replacements

BREAKING: South Carolina transfer EDGE Desmond Umeozulu has Committed to Alabama, he tells @On3

The 6’6 250 EDGE totaled 30 tackles and 1.5 sacks in his time with the Gamecocks

He’ll have 1 year of eligibility lefthttps://t.co/RlUbB6EMhS pic.twitter.com/AKQPSsZEgV
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) January 18, 2026

The transfer portal window has officially closed as of Friday. While some players may appear in the portal, as teams have a short window to put the player into the portal after submitting their papers, the Gamecocks roster is set for next season in terms of departures. The spring transfer window was eliminated back in September.

As far as replacements for edge rusher and defensive line go, South Carolina added Alabama's Kelby Collins, Arkansas State's Drew Collins, Tennessee's Caleb Herring, Georgia's Jordan Thomas, and Illinois' Tomiwa Durojaiye out of the transfer portal. However the biggest news wasn't a transfer announcement, but the retention of star pass rusher Dylan Stewart. The players Shane Beamer and Clayton White added to the defense should help improve the pass rush opposite Stewart for next season.

This article first appeared on South Carolina Gamecocks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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