South Carolina is extra thin at edge rusher. Desmond Umeozulu could help quickly

Desmond Umeozulu stands just off to the side of the sled on the practice fields behind the Long Family Football Operations Center, towering over the reporters that line the sideline.

He watches intently as defensive line coach Jimmy Lindsey coaxes the Gamecocks’ five edge rushers through a drill practicing hand placement on potential blockers. Umeozulu, despite being on campus for just two-plus months, looks every bit of the 6-foot-6, 240 pounds he’s listed at.

South Carolina could stand to use that size plenty this year.

“We will definitely be calling his number to make sure they see what he can do to showcase his skill set,” defensive coordinator Clayton White said.

It’s no secret the Gamecocks are limited at edge rusher. Former five-star prospect Jordan Burch hit the portal and has since landed at Oregon following his best year at South Carolina. Gilber Edmond, who was thrust into a starting role following Jordan Strachan’s season-ending injury Week 2 at Arkansas, also parlayed his efforts into a spot at Florida State over the offseason.

Four-star recruit Monteque Rhames, too, continues to be away from the team following his arrest for his involvement in an AR-15 rifle being found in second-year defensive back Anthony Rose’s on-campus house. Neither is expected back anytime soon, if at all.

That leaves a group that’s limited in both bodies and experience in Columbia.

Strachan is by far the most seasoned of the group. He tied for the FBS lead in sacks during the 2020 campaign at Georgia State. Transferring to South Carolina for the 2021 season, he worked as a rotational piece and was slated ot be a key cog in 2022 before he went down with a torn ACL in Week 2 at Arkansas. He’s also expected to miss most of spring practice as he continues to rehab.

Second-year rusher Bryan Thomas was forced into action late in the year as the numbers thinned on the edge. He flashed in moments, including recording three tackles in the loss at Florida. Appearing in 10 games a year ago, that experience figures to help Thomas this fall, but how much he can be counted on every down remains to be seen.

Redshirt senior Tyreek Johnson and ex-N.C. State transfer Terrell Dawkins are also back in the fold. Johnson has been a steady piece of the rotation the last two years, but it’s unclear how he’ll fare if given a bigger role. Dawkins, like Strachan, missed almost the entirety of last season due to injuries. He’d drawn rave reviews internally, though we’ll see if he can stay healthy.

“I could feel a lot better (about defensive end),” Beamer told The State in a recent one-on-one, laughing. “We’ve got good players. We’ve got to get healthy. We’ve got to stay healthy. And we’ve got to continue to develop guys. But no, we’ll be fine. We’ve got good coaches and got good players.”

Umeozulu presents as intriguing a piece as there is on the defensive line right now. Lost in the shuffle of Nyckoles Harbor mania, Umeozulu was a major get out of the Maryland-Washington, D.C.-Virginia area. He’s a former four-star prospect that was rated the No. 144 player in the 2023 class, per the 247Sports Composite. Umeozulu picked South Carolina over finalists that included Pittsburgh and Ohio State and arrived on campus as a midyear enrollee.

Though there’s little to glean from a few minutes watching Umeozulu hammer a tackling dummy, he at least looks the part given his frame. The limited numbers at the position, too, bode well for his chance to get on the field early. His high school tape suggests as much.

Umeozulu’s senior year film from CH Flowers High School is a more than five minute glimpse at the 58 tackles, 20 tackles for a loss and 14 sacks he recorded in his final year of prep ball. There’s clips of picks, hits and pure disruption — not least of which includes a brief clip of Umeozulu leaping over a blocker and swatting a field goal attempt.

“He’s a big tall guy that can run,” White said. “(He’s) long and he can make a lot of plays either batting balls down or forcing a bad throw. As he gets stronger and more developed, he’ll be a heavier force in the run game as well.”

Beamer hasn’t been shy in saying he hopes to add players at defensive end when the next transfer portal window opens on May 1. It feels like a must given how thin the Gamecocks are at the spot.

But with limited numbers comes opportunity for youngsters like Umeozulu and Thomas. They were perceived to be pieces for the future in Columbia. The future seemingly starts now.