Alabama Football: What happens when new Portal window opens

College football’s new ‘post-spring’ Transfer Portal window opens on Sat. Apr. 15. Though Alabama Football will have another week of spring practice, most schools finish up ahead of the Crimson Tide. A flurry of new Transfer Portal entries can be expected. The Portal will remain open through Apr. 30. The Portal only closes for new entries on that date. Players in the Portal can continue to transfer to new schools.

Before considering which Alabama football players might make a post-spring, transfer exit decision, let’s consider if Nick Saban will seek Portal additions.

Alabama does not currently have scholarships to offer. The Crimson Tide is close to its 85-limit. New Portal exits will likely take care of the current ‘over’ number and leave room to add two or three transfers.

If an exceptional player were to jump into the Portal, position group needs might not matter. But only extraordinary circumstances would lead to Nick Saban adding a quarterback, running back, or linebacker. Both lines of scrimmage might get a boost from a player believed to be more than a rotation player. Maybe adding another tight end is possible. A proven safety with starting experience is likely the Crimson Tide’s biggest need.

One not expected, but still possible ‘extraordinary circumstance’ could be if, after the A-Day game, either Jalen Milroe or Ty Simpson decided to transfer. Without shocking exits, there is no roster room at quarterback, wide receiver and running back.

What Alabama Football players might exit?

The players listed below might decide to transfer to gain starting or key roles on a new team. No Alabama football insider is suggesting any of them will make that decision.

Crimson Tide players are listed alphabetically.

• Anquin Barnes Jr. – Defensive Line – Redshirt Sophomore – Barnes redshirted in 2021. In two seasons, he has seen no game action.
• Monkell Goodwine – Defensive Line – Redshirt Sophomore – In his two Crimson Tide seasons, Goodwine has played in three games.
• Ian Jackson – Inside Linebacker – Redshirt Sophomore – Jackson has only three games of special teams action in two seasons. Jackson could start elsewhere, including on SEC teams, but the Tide’s linebacker competition is fierce.
• Thaiu Jones-Bell – Wide Receiver – Redshirt Junior – Jones-Bell has played in 12 games in his three-season Alabama football career and has made four receptions. He could still break through, but Alabama football insiders believe younger receivers have passed him.
• Jaeden Roberts – Offensive Line – Redshirt Sophomore – Roberts has played in three games and might be stuck outside the Tide’s two-deep.
• Jahquez Robinson – Cornerback – Redshirt Junior – Robinson, similar to Ian Jackson would make a solid starter for many teams. He still could for Alabama, but without clear progress this spring, a transfer might be his best career move.

Thirteen former Alabama Crimson Tide players have found new teams through the Transfer Portal. The only scholarship player yet to join a new program is wide receiver, Tyler Harrell.