South Alabama has picked up a transfer portal commitment from defensive end Emmanuel Waller, who played the last two seasons at UAB.

Waller, a former Oak Mountain High School standout, totaled eight tackles, a sack and two quarterback hurries in 18 games for the Blazers the last two seasons. A three-star recruit in the 2023 class, he has two seasons of eligibility remaining (plus a redshirt, if needed).

Waller announced his commitment on Saturday:

Waller (6-foot-4, 265 pounds) joins a South Alabama defensive end group that returns sophomore Tyler Thomas (also a former UAB transfer) and redshirt freshmen Achilles Wood and Nathan Jennings in 2025. The Jaguars lost 2024 starter Jordan Norman (who signed with Tulane) to the transfer portal in December and senior Jalyn Durgan to the portal earlier in this cycle.

Waller is South Alabama’s fifth portal signee during the current cycle, along with quarterback Zach Pyron (Minnesota), cornerback Nehemiah Chandler (Georgia Tech) and offensive lineman Jaylen Booker (Bethune-Cookman). The Jaguars are expected to add a half-dozen or more transfers before summer workouts begin at the end of May.

South Alabama finished 7-6 in 2024, its third consecutive winning season.

South Alabama football spring 2025 transfer portal

Departures

OT Malachi Carney (2 years of eligibility)* — Georgia Tech

OT Jordan Davis (1 year of eligibility)*

LB Julien Demby (3 years of eligibility)

OG Hayden Dozier (3 years of eligibility)

DE Jalyn Durgan (1 year of eligibility)

CB Ricky Fletcher (2 years of eligibility)^ — Ole Miss

LB Gavin Forsha (1 year of eligibility)#

TE Will Loerzel (4 years of eligibility) — Wake Forest

QB Gio Lopez (3 years of eligibility)* — North Carolina

DB Lorenzo Smith (2 years of eligibility)

LB Aakil Washington (1 year of eligibility)*

CB Lardarius Webb (1 year of eligibility)*

*— 2024 starter

# — 2024 part-time starter; did not participate in spring practice

^— 2023 starter

Additions

OT Jaylen Booker, Bethune-Cookman (4 years of eligibility)

CB Nehemiah Chandler, Georgia Tech (4 years of eligibility)

DT Stephen Johnson, McNeese/Auburn (3 years of eligibility)

QB Zach Pyron, Minnesota/Georgia Tech (2 years of eligibility)

DE Emmanuel Waller, UAB (2 years of eligibility)