During the 2025-2026 season, David Umah made his presence felt as a junior linebacker at Alief Hastings, earning second-team all-district honors after recording 61 tackles, three sacks, and 13 tackles for loss. Now a senior, Umah is proving that performance was no fluke.
Through six games, the 6-foot-1, 215-pound linebacker has recorded 60 tackles, four sacks, 2.5 forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, and four quarterback hurries. As he continues to produce defensively, Umah is working toward another goal: earning an opportunity to play college football.
“My coaches’ encouragement to keep putting in the work helped me maintain this level of production this season,” said Umah. “Since my junior season, I’ve improved my reaction time the most. The game of football is fast, but the more you play, the game begins to slow down.”
Umah’s production reflects the work he put in before his senior season, when he made getting stronger his priority. He increased his bench press from 250 to 335 pounds and his squat from 405 to 550 pounds.
“His physical development in the weight room vastly improved his physicality for getting off blocks and becoming one of the hardest hitters on the field,” said Alief Hastings defensive coordinator Fernando Mendoza.
Umah said he trusted his coaches’ advice and committed to getting stronger to better fight through blocks.
“I bought into what my coaches were saying about how getting stronger would make it easier for me to shed blockers,” said Umah.
That offseason commitment has translated into another productive season. After recording three sacks as a junior, Umah has already increased that total to four through six games as a senior, continuing to make an impact against opposing offenses.
“David knows he needs to continue working hard and improving his craft, and that is the only way schools will offer him,” said Mendoza. “His character is his character; he will work hard even if he has multiple offers. He not only leads the team in tackles and sacks because of his improved technique, but he is a positive voice, getting all of his teammates to play hard and hunt.”
Despite missing time last season, Umah has turned his senior year into a season of growth, production, and renewed confidence.
“I’m proud of everything I’ve accomplished this year,” said Umah. “I had to miss five games last season because of an ankle injury, but senior year I made it all back.”
Beyond his production, Umah has established himself as a leader for the Bears, earning his teammates’ respect through his work ethic and attention to detail.
“His leadership on and off the field is what makes him effective at his position, beyond what his statistics show,” said Mendoza. “Other players respect his work ethic and attention to detail.”
While Umah has continued to perform on the field, he is still pursuing an opportunity to showcase his abilities at the next level.
“I bought into what my coaches were saying about how getting stronger would make it easier for me to shed blockers,”
David Umah.
He attended camps at Lamar University and the Rivals camp at C.E. King High School, where he was invited to join the elite group on the second day. However, the distance to other camps limited his ability to attend additional events.
Umah, who has a 76.7-inch wingspan and runs the 40-yard dash in 4.6 seconds, also chose to train with Donnie Baggs, a prominent linebacker trainer in the Houston area, rather than focus primarily on summer camps.
“Donnie Baggs further helped me understand what I have to do to become a D1 linebacker,” said Umah. “The biggest takeaways I learned from the Rivals and Lamar University camps were to always work hard, no matter what.”
With his senior season underway, Umah is using his on-field production and game film to pursue a college opportunity. He has posted a midseason highlight reel and pinned his statistics to his Twitter profile, and has also sent film to various college programs, though he has yet to receive an offer.
Mid season highlight tape 60 tackles 4 sacks 2.5ff 1fr 1 safety 4qb pressures @DonnieBaggs_ @CoachPowell17 @AliefHastingsFB https://t.co/mRJskemi22
— David Umah (@david_umah0) October 7, 2026
Umah believes his film demonstrates his ability to shed blocks, make the right reads, and get to the ball. He is focused on showcasing his production and hopes to finish the season with 100 tackles and eight to 10 sacks.
While Umah continues working to attract college coaches through his on-field performance, he is also preparing for life beyond football. The senior maintains a 3.7 GPA and hopes to attend a competitive university where he can continue playing football while studying cybersecurity or engineering.
“I want college coaches to understand that I’m willing to do anything to help our team win,” said Umah. “Earning the opportunity to play college football would be a true blessing to me because not many people have that opportunity.”
As Umah continues to pursue his first college offer, he remains focused on improving his game and making the most of his senior season.
“To any college coach evaluating me as a potential recruit, I’d like to thank them for considering me and giving me an opportunity,” said Umah. “I’m committed to improving my craft and getting better every day.”
