For UAB alum Little, Call from Stallions Was Answered Prayer

BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA - March 6, 2026

By Steve Irvine

Desmond Little wasn’t sitting around waiting for a phone call when the UFL teams were putting together their initial rosters for the 2026 season. In fact, the former UAB edge rusher, wasn’t even aware that playing in the UFL was an option, so he certainly didn’t know when the Birmingham Stallions made his one of their three college regional allocation selections.

“A guy texted me on Instagram, a former guy I was training with, like, congratulations on getting picked up,” Little said. “And I was like, what you mean? And he was like, the Birmingham Stallions picked you up.”

Little quickly called his agent, who also had not heard the news.

“We were both lost in the loop,” Little said. “He’s like, let me make a few calls. I hadn’t talked to nobody. That’s why I say this is a blessing. I was praying, just talking to God the night before. And I was like, ‘God, please give me one more opportunity. I promise I'm going to make the best of it.’ And the next day I got picked up.”

Like pretty much everyone else on a Stallions roster filled with talent, there is no guarantee that Little will make the final cut. However, the Mobile native, who played at Vigor High in Prichard, is relishing the opportunity after spending time in the Indianapolis Colts camp in 2025.

“That's great because some folks think this is the last opportunity,” Little said. “Once you get here, folks who come from the (NFL) think it’s over with. It's never over with. You still got an opportunity. So I just say, man, it's great, I love it. I'm very happy for this opportunity to showcase my talent and show the next level that I still have it.”

Little’s early days in football were largely spent with the football in his hands at quarterback. He also played defensive end while growing up but quarterback was where he wanted to line up.

“Everybody has dreams of being a quarterback,” Little said. “O-linemen and D-linemen, they don’t grow up dreaming of being an O-linemen or D-linemen.”

Once he reached high school, the coaches informed Little that he would be chasing the quarterback instead of taking snaps. He grew into a 6-foot-5, 230-pound four-star recruit, who had 14 sacks in his senior season and helped Vigor reach the state championship game. Little chose to begin his college career at LSU, where he played in 14 games over four seasons.

Little transferred to UAB in 2023 and flourished as a Blazer. He finished with 70 tackles, 17.5 tackles for loss, 11.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and 12 pass breakups over his two seasons at UAB.

“At first, I was kind of down,” Little said. “Something in my head said it might be over. People asked ‘Why are you leaving a SEC school, going to a lower-level school?’ But, man, I tell you, when I went to UAB, it made me the man who I am today. I learned a lot about the game, just sitting down with coaches and them really going through stuff with me, helping me with my weakness. They really grew me as a man and a player.”

Now he’s trying to take another important step that include him returning to Protective Stadium for home games.

“I’d say my goal is (to play) with more power,” said Little, who is listed at 6-foot-4, 242 pounds. “They’re probably thinking I’m not as strong. I can take on tackles. And I’d say, stop thinking, just be more free. You know, play ball. I’ve been doing it my whole life, so I know ball. If you get to thinking too much, you slow yourself down.”