National Signing Day is less than 24 hours away and the UAB football program is set for a historic haul under new head coach Trent Dilfer.

The Blazers lost 21 seniors from last year’s unit, the final team of the Bill Clark era, and almost half of that number have entered the transfer portal since the conclusion of the 2022 season, but early signing day saw UAB sign a large group of prep players and have since had a bevy of commitments from the transfer portal.

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Dilfer and a partial staff managed to sign 16 players during the early signing period, 11 of which were prep signees, and an emphasis was put on trench warfare and playmakers. The Blazers signed four defensive linemen, two offensive linemen and four receivers, and added two transfers in former Alabama high school standouts Malachi Holt-Bennett (Indiana) and James Smyre (Marshall).

Upon completion of his first UAB coaching staff, Dilfer and company hit the recruiting trail hard and came away with a bevy of transfer portal entries to compensate for their own losses. The focus on the trenches is without pause as the Blazers have prep commits from three defensive linemen and two offensive linemen, along with two defensive backs.

The opportunity to enter the transfer portal closed almost two weeks ago and UAB had eight players announce their entry and five more have since been removed from the official online roster. Tight end Maleak Bryant and wide receiver Iverson Hooks were the only two entries prior to the Bahamas Bowl and six more entered following the conclusion of the Bill Clark era of UAB football.

Bryant eventually signed with FCS program Long Island and Hooks removed his name from the portal. Offensive lineman Therion Cannon (Western Carolina) and quarterback Dylan Mehrotra (Southern) also chose FCS programs while tight end Brody Dalton committed to Troy and offensive lineman Quincy McGee with Ole Miss.

In a move that surprised no one, quarterback Dylan Hopkins and wide receiver Ryan Davis officially signed with New Mexico where they join former UAB interim head coach and offensive coordinator Bryant Vincent and offensive line coach Cam Blankenship.

Although not confirmed to be in the transfer portal, quarterback Bryson Lucero, running back Zeus Perryman, wide receiver Luke Percer, offensive lineman Brett Johnson and defensive lineman Devin Manigault are not currently listed on the 2023 online roster.

On UAB’s end, Dilfer and crew are busy traversing the transfer portal and secured 11 commits since the early signing period, six of which are from SEC programs.

To bolster their offense, the Blazers have received commitments from quarterbacks Landry Lyddy (LA Tech) and Trace Campbell (Ole Miss), running back Ray Harvey (Kansas State), wide receivers Dazalin Warsham (Auburn) and former Alabama Mr. Football Ryan Peppins (Utah/Grambling) and offensive lineman William Parker (Tennessee). Defensively, UAB is securing the services of linebackers Desmond Little (LSU) and Kendall Johnson (Tennessee State) and cornerbacks A.D. Diamond (Auburn) and Brian Mayes (Incarnate Word), along with the addition of Arkansas punter Patrick Foley.

Obviously, considering the number of public commits, there is cause for a disclaimer.

While a majority will certainly be officially announced by UAB, some will be grey shirts and preferred walk-ons, or may already be on campus and enrolled in classes. Regardless, Dilfer and his staff have easily recouped the Blazers’ losses while upgrading the talent for what is set to be the best recruiting class in UAB history.

UAB commits (19)

*Landry Lyddy, QB (6-0 / 198) Louisiana Tech | Shreveport, La.

*Trace Campbell, QB (6-5 / 235) Ole Miss | Ellicott City, Md.

*Ray Harvey, RB (6-0 / 190) Kansas State | Plano, Texas

*Demetrius Battle, RB (6-2 / 240) West Alabama | Birmingham, Ala.

*Dazalin Warsham, WR (6-1 / 177) Auburn | Birmingham, Ala.

*Ryan Peppins, WR (5-8 / 168) Grambling State | Alabaster, Ala.

*William Parker, OL (6-5 / 310) Tennessee | Nashville, Tenn.

*Delano Townsend, OL (6-4 / 300) Hamady Community | Flint, Mich.

*Mason Chorak, OL (6-5 / 240) Saguaro | Scottsdale, Ariz.

*Tyler Thomas, DL (6-6 / 225) Cottage Hill Christian | Mobile, Ala.

*Miquon Merriweather, DL (6-2 / 290) Carver | Columbus, Ga.

*Joshua Rubin, DL (6-1 / 235) Lipscomb Academy | Nashville, Tenn.

*Kendall Johnson, LB (6-6 / 237) Tennessee State | Jackson, Tenn.

*Desmond Little, LB (6-5 / 230) LSU | Prichard, Ala.

*Kolby Seymour, CB (5-9 / 155) Moody | Moody, Ala.

*A.D. Diamond, CB (5-11 / 171) Auburn | Mobile, Ala.

*Brian Mayes, CB (6-1 / 183) Incarnate Word |Houston, Texas

*Dylan Wroblewski, S (6-1 / 185) Lipscomb Academy | Nashville, Tenn.

*Patrick Foley, P (6-3 / 196) Arkansas | Omaha, Neb.

UAB early signees (16)

*Amare Thomas, WR (5-10 / 180) Pinson Valley | Pinson, Ala.

*Kameran Shanks, WR (5-9 / 175) Prattville | Prattville, Ala.

*Jamarcus Jones, WR (6-4 / 190) Mississippi Gulf Coast CC | Union, Miss.

*Brandon Hawkins, WR (5-11 / 185) Navarro College | Waxahachie, Texas

*Malachi Holt-Bennett, WR (6-3 / 190) Indiana | Birmingham, Ala.

*Alfonzo Leomiti, OL (6-4 / 310) Los Alamitos | Los Alamitos, Calif.

*Jalen Nettles, OL (6-4 / 340) Northwest Mississippi CC | Canton, Miss.

*Emmanuel Waller, DL (6-4 / 250) Oak Mountain | Birmingham, Ala.

*Conner Knight, DL (6-3 / 275) Hewitt-Trussville | Trussville, Ala.

*Eamon Smalls, DL (6-2 / 295) Beaufort | Lady’s Island, S.C.

*Daniel Harris, DL (6-6 / 190) Palm Bay | Melbourne, Fla.

*James Smyre, LB (6-3 / 220) Marshall | Phenix City, Ala.

*Everett Roussaw, LB (6-2 / 215) Cedar Grove | Ellenwood, Ga.

*Christopher Bracy, S (6-1 / 185) St. Paul’s Episcopal | Mobile, Ala.

*Jaylyn Ferguson, ATH (6-4 / 160) Southwest | Fort Worth, Texas

*Ricky Lee, ATH (5-11 / 170) Cedar Grove | Ellenwood, Ga.