Alabama Football: Crimson Tide over limit and adding more

There are a few rules left the NCAA has the teeth to enforce. One is scholarship limitations. Alabama Football head coach, Nick Saban never has a problem making annual numbers work. Still, juggling roster numbers has been complicated by the current transfer process.

A couple of days after the most recent Transfer Portal window closed, it appears the Crimson Tide had no last-minute Portal entries. Last week’s buzz that adding Tyler Buchner would mean one or more Alabama football quarterbacks transferring out has not occurred.

The current situation is the Crimson Tide is two over at 87 scholarships, assuming punter James Burnip is on scholarship. Not only is more attrition needed, it appears Nick Saban will add another transfer player or two.

UAB safety, Jaylen Key recently visited Tuscaloosa. As a sixth-year player, it is expected his next college choice will come down to a starter role. That likely means he will not join the Alabama Crimson Tide. More recently, Louisiana cornerback, Trey Amos entered the Transfer Portal. Amos tweeted he was quickly given an offer to join the Alabama Crimson Tide. Adding depth to the Alabama football secondary looks to be a primary goal for Nick Saban.

Alabama Football Transfer Speculation

There has also been some speculation the Crimson Tide would like to add a transfer offensive lineman. Alabama has 13 scholarship offensive linemen, but five of them are true freshmen. Rightly or wrongly, some Alabama football fans are convinced a couple of the veterans do not provide quality depth. Saban and the Tide gained a persuasive recruiting tool from Tyler Steen’s transfer experience. Prospective offensive linemen must believe Steen would have never achieved a third-round NFL Draft selection without a move from Vandy to the Crimson Tide.

There has also been speculation that Tommy Rees values tight ends so highly, Alabama would take another one if a top transfer prospect was a good fit.

Even though the spring Portal Window is closed, more players will enter the Portal in this cycle. Graduate transfers are not bound by the transfer windows. They are immediately eligible to join another team as late as fall enrollment. In the next few weeks, new graduates will qualify to make a move for next season.

A hunch is the Crimson Tide’s over-the-limit numbers will be resolved by two to four graduate transfer exits. Nick Saban probably already knows which current guys will choose that transfer option.

For Alabama football fans wondering, the Crimson Tide has approximately 15 players whose time in college would fit becoming a graduate transfer this summer.