From Journeyman to First Team on the Edge
By Steve Irvine
BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA - April 17, 2026
The measurables suggest that UAB’s Marlin Dean is a prototypical player on the edge for the Blazers defense. He is 6-foot-5 and 240 pounds with long arms.
There was a time, however, when the measurables suggested that the well-traveled Dean, who began his college career at Georgia, was prototypical size on the other side of the line of scrimmage.
“I actually was getting recruited for Georgia for left tackle,” said Dean, a Georgia native who played his final high school season at IMG Academy in Florida. “I used to be like 320 when I was at IMG, but then I went on a weight program because (former Georgia offensive line coach) Sam Pittman left Georgia. And so (Georgia defensive line coach) Tray Scott told me that I could stay on D-line if I wanted to. I went to IMG and got on the weight program, and I dropped down to 250 and then went to Georgia at D-line.”
Dean spent the past month making a heckuva first impression at defensive end for UAB. He enters Saturday’s UAB Spring Showcase at Legacy Pavilion working with the defensive first team on the opposite end of the line from Morgan State transfer Blanche Gold. For Dean it’s the latest chance at making a positive first impression during a college football path that began 30 minutes from his hometown of Elberton, Ga. and followed with journeys to Butler Community College in Kansas and Utah State before circling back to Georgia State. Now, Dean is concluding his college career in Birmingham.
“Yeah, off the bat, coming here, I felt like I had to show what I could do because even though I had production at my last school, it's not what they seen here,” Dean said. “So I had to come in and show them that I still could play at that level or even better. And with (UAB defensive coordinator Todd Grantham), man, he’s pushed me every week. So I feel like I've been getting better here than I have my whole career.”
The foundation of his college career was set during the 2021 season at Georgia, even though he only played in one game where he was credited for two tackles.
“All the seniors came back that year,” Dean said. “Travon Walker, Jordan Davis, all of them came back. So when they came back, I was really like basically just sitting back, picking up everything that they were doing, going into the NFL. Me being behind the first pick (in Travon Walker), it really helped a lot in my learning, like from pass rush to different things on the field, even off the field.”
Dean departed the following summer and headed to Butler Community College. He didn’t play in 2022 and had 25 tackles, seven sacks, 10.5 tackles for loss and two forced fumbles the following season. He was ranked as the No. 2 junior college defensive end and No. 7 overall junior college recruit in the class.
“Because I left Georgia after winning a natty, and then I went to JUCO, that was more humbling than anything,” Dean said. “It just taught me football can go up and down and everything's not promised. You still got to work regardless of you at Georgia or even at JUCO. It's work at every place. It helped me not being comfortable and it helped me not being, you know, selfish. It helped me see the bigger picture.”
His next stop was Logan, Utah, which is more than 1,900 miles away from home. He played in nine games for Utah State with six tackles, 1.5 sacks and four quarterback hurries. Last season, back at home, Dean had his best statistical season in FBS football with 32 tackles, one sack and a forced fumble. He also forced a safety against Memphis.
“Meeting him in the recruiting process and then him coming on a visit and being able to spend some time with him, you’re like, ‘Man, this kid's really sharp,’” said UAB defensive end coach John Jones, who also serves as the special teams coordinator. “You know, he loves to play the game, but he also has NFL aspirations. He's built like that. And really getting all the feedback from the strength staff and all those guys throughout the offseason, this dude has some (special) traits, has some mobility. Then we're getting him in the classroom and going over ball and the way he adapted early and figured things out. We moved him around and do different things with him. We’re really excited about him.”
Lining up on the other side from Gold will also be an advantage for both players. It will be hard to give extra attention to both sides.
“He’s been awesome,” Jones said of Gold, a 6-foot-2, 240-pound FCS transfer. “Really, really smart player that knows a lot of ball, played a lot of ball. He’s also a guy with his versatility and skill set, he’s not as tall or as long as Marlin, but he’s strong and powerful and really plays with natural leverage and things like that. I’m excited for what he’ll be able to do for us.”
Depth should also be a strength for the Blazers with returnees J’Quan Mason and Chris Burge and Liberty transfer Elijah Hall and Eastern Washington transfer Tylin Jackson. The 6-foot-4, 255-pound Jackson has missed most of the spring but he is a veteran of 26 college football games over the past three seasons and is expected to play a big role this season.
“I think the guys have been great,” Jones said. “They accepted the challenge and they've embraced what we're asking them to do in the scheme as well as what we're challenging them to do physically. I love the group and it's a very versatile group. They all have different skill sets. You know, we got tall guys, short guys, skinny guys, thicker guys. I'm really excited about that group and the versatility and what they're able to do and their athleticism to be able to do all those things that Coach Grantham schemes up and all that stuff.”