Alabama Football: 2 more transfers impact 2017 roster and 2018 recruiting

Alabama football lost B.J. Emmons and Aaron Robinson to transfers. See how that affects the 2017 roster and 2018 recruiting.

Alabama football lost two more players to transfer Thursday. Backup cornerback, Aaron Robinson confirmed transfer rumors that had circulated for weeks. Running back B.J. Emmons also announced plans to transfer. The Emmons decision was not expected but given six highly rated running backs, attrition was almost inevitable.

The two latest transfer announcements will affect the 2017 depth chart, particularly at cornerback. They will also impact 2018 recruiting. Let’s review what it means at each position.

Alabama football cornerbacks

Aaron Robinson projected as a second-team key backup in 2017. The sophomore was still the learning the cornerback position. Despite that, cornerback numbers had pushed Robinson into a key backup role.

After Robinson’s exit, Alabama football has only one true cornerback to backup Anthony Averett and Trevon Diggs. That backup is a former walk-on, Levi Wallace. Highly regarded 2016 recruit Nigel Knott came to Alabama to compete at the cornerback position. Needing time to fully recover from a serious high school injury, Knott redshirted last season. Still not at full speed, Knott struggled during the spring, mainly working at the Star position.

Other than Averett, Diggs, Fitzpatrick, Wallace and maybe Knott, every other player in the Tide secondary is primarily a safety. True freshman Kyriq McDonald made some good plays in the A-Day game. He might get a look at cornerback. Tony Brown and Shyheim Carter could fill-in at corner but Tide coaches believe their skills are better suited to play at Star.

The 2018 recruiting plan was to sign three cornerbacks. That number may now be four. Likely a coincidence, the nation’s No. 1 cornerback recruit, Patrick Surtain today confirmed a visit to the Champions Cookout on Friday.

Alabama football running backs

Alabama football running back 2017 depth was little hurt by the Emmons transfer. Emmons is a quality player as he showed before last season’s injury that led to two surgeries. Nonetheless, in 2017 Damien Harris, Bo Scarbrough, Josh Jacobs and Najee Harris were all ahead of Emmons.

The Emmons transfer does change 2018 recruiting. Instead of one RB needed, the Tide must now sign two. Harris and Bo could both leave after their junior seasons. If so, Jacobs, Harris and Brian Robinson would be the only backs in 2018.

Alabama football is pushing to bring in 4-Star Asa Martin. The Tide also got good news today from 4-Star Harold Joiner. Until today, Auburn was believed to lead for Joiner. Joiner announced his plans to attend the Champions Cookout and stated currently the Tide leads for his signature. It is not known if the Emmons transfer influenced Joiner.

Next: 30 Crimson Tide Greats who were 3-Star Recruits

Harold Joiner is not expected to make his college choice for another two or three months. Asa Martin previously announced he will choose between Alabama, Auburn and Florida on August 24. That announcement might move up given the Emmons transfer and Martin’s visit this weekend to the Champions Cookout.