UAB added some size to its recruiting class recently with the addition of Kilgore College offensive linemen Wallace Unamba and Leon Bell and edge defender Malik Puryear of Coahoma Community College.
Unamba, who will play guard at UAB, is a 6-foot-5, 332-pounder from Garland, Texas. Bell is a 6-foot-8, 305-pound tackle from Alvin, Texas. Unamba said the opportunity to commit together played a role in the decision.
“That and they need linemen,” Unamba said. “I don’t want to go to another school, that doesn’t need linemen. Both of our mindsets were to go somewhere that we know we are going to play and go to a place where we actually are wanted. It just felt like the best first for us to go there.”
Unamba plays tackle at Kilgore College but said he is more comfortable at guard. Bell is expected to play tackle.
Unamba took his official visit last weekend, which included the win over Middle Tennessee. He said the visit help cement his decision.
“I had a lot of fun,” Unamba said. “The student section was fun. I liked how everything was, the walkway to the stadium, and everything was right there. They had a nice tailgate, playing games on the scoreboard, just stuff like that.”
Unamba said he was not recruited much out of high school because he did not qualify. This time around, he said schools that were interested included Syracuse, Oklahoma State and Texas Tech.
Puryear is a 6-foot-5, 245-pound defensive end from Greensboro, North Carolina. He earned a scholarship to Wake Forest, where he spent his only season as a redshirt. He transferred to Coahoma Community College in Mississippi. In six games this season, he has 11 tackles and a sack.
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