South Alabama picked up its third 2025 football commitment of the long weekend on Sunday, this one from an in-state defensive standout.

Opelika defensive end/outside linebacker E’Mauri Smiley announced he plans to sign with the Jaguars. The 3-star prospect joins Choctawhatchee (Fla.) High School teammates Tristan Jackson and Keeson Hines-Wheeler — also defensive players — as South Alabama commitments since Thursday.

Smiley (6-foot-3, 254 pounds) also has scholarship offers from UAB, North Alabama, Marshall, Louisiana-Monroe and Western Kentucky, among other schools. He is a high school teammate of 5-star Auburn commit Malik Autry, a defensive tackle.

South Alabama now has six public commitments for the 2025 class, five of them on defense. The only offensive player currently committed to the Jaguars is LeFlore offensive lineman Antonio Gibbs.

The early signing period begins in December.

South Alabama 2025 football commitments (6)

Antonio Gibbs, OL, 6-5, 265, Mobile/LeFlore HS

Keeson Hines-Wheeler, DB, 6-0, 180, Fort Walton Beach, Fla./Choctawhatchee HS

Byron Jackson, LB, 6-4, 215, Havana, Fla./Gadsden County HS

Tristan Jackson, LB, 6-0, 200, Fort Walton Beach, Fla./Choctawhatchee HS

E’Mauri Smiley, DL, 6-3, 254, Opelika/Opelika HS

Jeremiah Thomas, DB, 5-10, 170, Havana, Fla./Gadsden County HS