Rivals250 DE Desmond Umeozulu commits to South Carolina

Rivals250 defensive end Desmond Umeozulu has committed to South Carolina. The Springdale (Md.) Flowers star had been wrestling with his decision but ultimately decided to go with the Gamecocks, choosing them over Ohio State, Pittsburgh, and North Carolina.

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CLASS OF 2023 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State

CLASS OF 2024 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State

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"It's about the relationship I've had with coach Lucas since day one," Umeozulu said. "When I saw all the coaches they were just genuine. It's different down at South Carolina. It's SEC football.

"I really feel like that visit to South Carolina was my best official visit," he said. "They showed me the red carpet and everything I wanted to see. They run the same defense as my high school so there won't be as much of an adjustment. I really like the scheme.

"During my visit I was with Tree (four-star South Carolina commit Tosin Babalade) the whole time," said Umeozulu. "He just talks about how much he loves the Gamecock family. South Carolina does have a chokehold on the DMV right now."

South Carolina keeps adding great prospects on its defensive front. With Umeozulu onboard, the Gamecocks have four defensive linemen committed and all four are in the Rivals250. This went down to the wire and a lot of credit should go to the South Carolina coaching staff. It was Umeozulu's relationship with the coaching staff and how comfortable he felt in Columbia during his official visit that helped tip the scales in favor of South Carolina.

Last season Umeozulu relied on his quickness and athleticism to beat the man in front of him and get to the ball carrier but he is poised to take his game up a notch this season. Umeozulu has seemingly lived in the weight room this offseason and built up his frame to a lean 240-pounds. Adding an element of power to his pass rushing moves could make him much tougher to defender against.