At a Glance
Player: Israel Prince-Oyakhire
Position: Free Safety / Defensive Back
Height/Weight: 6’2″, 190 pounds
High School: Shiloh High School (Snellville, Ga.)
Committed: June 25, 2026
Primary Recruiter: Ryan McNamara
Honors
- First Team All-State
- First Team All-County
- Region 4-5A Player of the Year
Recruiting Snapshot
- First (and only) official visit: UAB
- Multiple Ivy League offers
- Another Georgia commitment in UAB’s 2027 class
A Recruitment Built on Relationships
When Israel Prince-Oyakhire announced his commitment to UAB on Thursday, it represented more than another addition to the Blazers’ 2027 recruiting class.
The 6-foot-2, 190-pound defensive back from Shiloh High School in Snellville, Georgia, became the latest example of a recruiting approach Alex Mortensen’s staff appears to be emphasizing: identify talented prospects early, invest in the relationship, and earn a prospect’s trust long before the recruiting process reaches its final stages.
Prince-Oyakhire committed less than a week after taking what proved to be his first—and ultimately only—official visit.
The timeline helps explain why.
How UAB Won the Recruitment
March 21 wasn’t commitment day.
It was arguably the most important day of the recruitment.
That’s when UAB extended its scholarship offer.
Less than a month later, Prince-Oyakhire returned to Birmingham for Junior Day.
By June, the relationship had progressed enough that Birmingham became the only school he chose to visit officially.
On June 25, six days after leaving campus, he announced his commitment.
Recruiting stories often focus on the moment a player commits.
This one is just as much about everything that happened beforehand.
Rather than winning a recruitment during official visit season, UAB appears to have positioned itself well before that stage of the process.
A Recruitment That Drew National Interest
Prince-Oyakhire’s first scholarship offer arrived from Ole Miss in November 2024.
Over the next 18 months, programs including Georgia State, Coastal Carolina, Liberty, East Carolina, Colorado State, UConn, Army, UNLV, Miami (Ohio), Northern Illinois, FIU, Samford and others joined the pursuit.
His recruitment also reflected success beyond the football field.
Yale.
Penn.
Brown.
Cornell.
Dartmouth.
Those offers point to a strong academic profile in addition to his football ability and illustrate the broad interest he generated throughout the recruiting process.
One Decision That Stands Out
Recruiting is rarely defined by a single visit.
However, one detail from Prince-Oyakhire’s recruitment deserves attention.
East Carolina hosted him during spring practice earlier this year, demonstrating that another American Athletic Conference program also valued him highly.
Yet when official visit season arrived, Birmingham became the only campus he visited officially.
While every recruitment is different, that decision suggests UAB had established itself as a strong contender well before his public commitment.
Production That Matches the Interest
Recruiting attention only goes so far.
Production is what sustains it.
Prince-Oyakhire enters his senior season after an outstanding junior campaign.
Junior Statistics
- 60 tackles
- 3 tackles for loss
- 3 forced fumbles
- 2 fumble recoveries
- 10 pass breakups
- 4 interceptions
Those numbers earned him:
- First Team All-State
- First Team All-County
- Region 4-5A Player of the Year
His junior campaign followed another productive sophomore season:
- 58 tackles
- 4 tackles for loss
- 2 forced fumbles
- 1.5 sacks
- 2 pass breakups
- 1 interception
His consistency over multiple seasons helps explain why his recruitment continued to gain momentum.
Georgia Roots and Relationships
Relationships often influence recruiting.
One connection worth noting involves UAB safeties coach Ryan McNamara.
McNamara joined Alex Mortensen’s inaugural staff in January after spending the previous season at Oklahoma State under defensive coordinator Todd Grantham.
Before that, he served as Central Michigan’s General Manager, overseeing recruiting and roster management.
He’s also a Georgia native, growing up in nearby Norcross—roughly 30 minutes from Shiloh High School.
While it’s impossible to quantify how much that familiarity influenced Prince-Oyakhire’s decision, recruiting in a region where a coach already has experience and relationships can be an advantage.
Prince-Oyakhire also becomes the second public commitment in UAB’s 2027 class from Snellville, Georgia, joining offensive lineman Kaiden McKenzie of Brookwood High School. The two are already familiar with one another, having faced off during the 2025 season opener when Brookwood defeated Shiloh 21-0. They’ll arrive in Birmingham as teammates after beginning the recruiting cycle as opponents.
Football Runs in the Family
Prince-Oyakhire also enters college football with an understanding of the recruiting process.
His older brother, Isaac Prince, starred at Mercer before transferring to Toledo alongside head coach Mike Jacobs.
Having watched a sibling navigate college football should provide valuable perspective as he begins his own career at UAB.
Film Review with Darion Smith
Blazer Victory co-host and former UAB offensive lineman Darion Smith shares his evaluation of Prince-Oyakhire’s film and how his skill set projects to the collegiate level.
“What stands out to me first are Israel’s measurables. At 6-foot-2 and around 190 pounds, he already has the size you’re looking for at safety.
“He’s also a very intelligent football player, and that shows up all over his film. You can tell he’s consistently in the right position. He’s not the fastest safety you’ll ever see, and he’s probably not the biggest hitter either, but that’s not what defines his game.
“He’s reliable.
“He wraps up as a tackler, understands his responsibilities, and has the production to back it up. You see the interceptions, the pass breakups, the forced fumbles—he finds ways to impact the game because he’s where he’s supposed to be.
“He’s the kind of player I’d describe as a jack of all trades. He’s not a lockdown corner playing safety, but he has enough athletic ability to cover when he’s asked to. He’ll come downhill, support the run, force turnovers, and make the routine plays consistently.
“Watching his film actually reminded me of former UAB safety Chase Daniel. Chase’s career was unfortunately impacted by injuries, but when he was healthy, he was one of the most dependable players on our defense. He had similar size, was always in the right position, and you could count on him to make the tackle.
“When we talk about building a competent defense, these are the kinds of players you need. They’re the backbone of the unit. They communicate, get everyone lined up correctly, and make sure the defense is operating the way it’s supposed to.
“I really like this pickup. As he continues to develop physically, I think he has the potential to become the quarterback of the defense—a player his teammates can rely on to lead, communicate, and consistently put everyone in the right position.”
What It Means for UAB
Every commitment tells part of a larger story.
Prince-Oyakhire’s commitment reinforces several themes that have emerged during Alex Mortensen’s first recruiting cycle.
The coaching staff continues to prioritize Georgia, one of the country’s richest football recruiting states.
They’re building relationships early in the recruiting process.
They’re targeting productive players with strong academic backgrounds.
And they’re earning opportunities to close recruitments before official visit season becomes crowded.
It’s too early to know how this recruiting class will ultimately compare with previous ones.
What can be said is that Prince-Oyakhire fits the profile of the type of student-athlete UAB has consistently pursued since Mortensen arrived in Birmingham.
Why This Matters
- UAB earned Prince-Oyakhire’s first and only official visit.
- He enters his senior season as a First Team All-State selection and Region 4-5A Player of the Year.
- His offer list included numerous FBS programs and five Ivy League schools.
- He becomes the second public commitment from Snellville, Georgia, in UAB’s 2027 class.
- His commitment continues an emerging trend of UAB recruiting heavily in Georgia.
Looking Ahead
Prince-Oyakhire now turns his attention toward his senior season at Shiloh High School, where he’ll look to build on an already impressive résumé.
For UAB, the focus shifts to maintaining momentum on the recruiting trail. If this recruitment is any indication, the coaching staff has a clear approach: identify prospects early, build meaningful relationships, and create an environment that convinces recruits Birmingham is where they want to be.
UAB 2027 Commitments
Kaiden McKenzie, 6’4″ 330 OL from Brookwood HS (GA)
Bryce Daniels, 6’4″ 327 OL from Buchholz High School (FL)
Dai’jon Hayes, 6’0 175 WR from Tift County High School (GA)
Jordan Shambley, 6’3″ 185 QB from Hillcrest High School (AL)
Jshawn Jinks, 6’4″ 330 DT from Georgia Military College (GA)
Israel Prince-Oyakhire, 6’2″ 190 DB from Shiloh HS (GA)
Resources
HUDL Highlights: LINK
247Sports Profile: LINK
On3 Profile: LINK
X Account: LINK
Instagram: LINK
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