Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 48-10vs East Carolina | 2 | 1 | 0.5 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 2 tackles |
| Wk 2 | W 45-17@ Kentucky | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Total | 3 | 1 | 0.5 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#9
Desmond Umeozulu
Senior linebacker for Alabama. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′6″ · 255 lb · Upper Marlboro, MD · C.H. Flowers
CFB Index 23 · #510 of 583 LBsHigh confidenceTransferred South Carolina → Alabama for 2026
CFB Index
A single number blending on-field production (an EPA-based value lane) with box-score output for this player's position.
0-100, scaled within each position's own cohort — not directly comparable across positions.
The numbers
3
tackles · 2026
0.5 TFL
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 2 tackles, 0.5 TFL, vs East Carolina
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 linebacker for Alabama. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 4-star recruit to South Carolina in 2023.
- Transferred from South Carolina to Alabama in 2026.
Desmond Umeozulu
Fills the run lane and blitzes off the edge. Across four seasons and two programs, two head coaches: Shane Beamer and Kalen DeBoer. The receipt: 2 tackles, 0.5 TFL against East Carolina — Week 1, 2026.
3 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- game log
His career
20237 games
- Signed with South Carolina4-star out of C.H. Flowers
2026
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★★
CFB
College
2 teams
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2023–2026
2 coaches2023
Alabama
Coaching transition mid-career: Nick Saban → Kalen DeBoer. Worth noting in scheme + development context.
Where He Ended Up · Transfer
Transferred to Alabama
2025South Carolina
2026Alabama
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2023South Carolina5-7HC: Shane Beamer · Balanced
2024South Carolina9-4HC: Shane Beamer · Run-heavy
2025South Carolina4-8HC: Shane Beamer · Run-leaning
2026Alabama2-0HC: Kalen DeBoer · Run-heavy
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
High confidence
Concern: tackles (0th percentile).
Box-score production (6)
Percentiles are versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score production. There are no play-by-play efficiency bars here: CFBD's play-value model credits offensive players only, so no defensive EPA exists to rank.
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 2 games: 1.5 TKL/g, 0.2 TFL/g, 0.0 SACK/g, 0.0 PD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Kalen DeBoer
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2025
Rotational
Tackle volume for the position in rotation-piece range.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Production · CFB Index Score
23 · #510 of 583 LBs
Former four-star. Now #510 at the position.
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Alabama | 3 | 1 | 0.5 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2025 | South Carolina | 19 | 10 | 2.0 | 1.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2024 | South Carolina | 1 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2023 | South Carolina | 9 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 32 | 15 | 2.5 | 1.0 | -- | -- | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 45–17
at Kentucky
1 TOT
Dominant 28-point win on the road against Kentucky.
With K. Russell — 188 yds · 1 TD · 2 INT · QBR 38.9 · -9 rush yds (8 car) · D. Hill — 104 rush yds (18 car) · 1 TD
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Downhill striker who fills the run lane and blitzes off the edge.
CFB Index positional classification
DNA match
Player DNA
Thumper
Downhill striker who fills the run lane and blitzes off the edge.
LB
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Garmon Randolph’s 2021 season.
Matches Garmon on
Solo tackle rate
Tackle volume
Class year
Differs from Garmon on
Height (lower)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Kai Wallin's junior season at Oregon State (2025).
Matches Kai on
TFL rate
Weight
Height
Differs from Kai on
Hurry rate (lower)
PD rate (lower)
Player DNA
Players who play like Desmond Umeozulu
Background
NIL Opportunities Prior to Alabama Ranked as the No. 57 edge rusher according to 247Sports' Transfer Portal Rankings ... the No. 81 player at his position in the portal by On3. 2023-25 (South Carolina) Totaled 36 games of action across three seasons at South Carolina ... registered 30 career tack...
The linebacker corps · Alabama
- #7Caleb Woodson57 tackles · 2025
- Yhonzae Pierre52 tackles · 2025
- #9Desmond Umeozulu19 tackles · 2025
- #8Justin Hill10 tackles · 2025
- #23Cayden Jones8 tackles · 2025
12 more on the roster · Alabama team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology