Despite leading the Crimson Tide back to the College Football Playoff in 2025, Alabama’s blowout Rose Bowl loss to Indiana, 38-3, proved that Kalen DeBoer’s roster needed some serious upgrades in the Transfer Portal. Especially if he wants to compete for a national championship in his third year, when Nick Saban won his.
However, college football’s lone Transfer Portal window hasn’t been particularly kind to DeBoer and his general manager, Courtney Morgan. The duo is clearly looking to build through stacked high school recruiting classes, but that’s tough to do when you shed some of that talent through the portal each offseason.
On Friday, the window to enter the portal closed. So, while the transactions aren’t finished, the departures are. Alabama has 21 outgoing transfers with 10 incoming, so far. Of those 21 players heading out the door, these three will sting the most to see play in another uniform next season.
Apparently, if your name is Isaiah and you catch the game-winning touchdown in the Iron Bowl, you head to the Transfer Portal to cash in on that newfound fame. Isaiah Bond did it, leaving for Texas two offseasons ago, and this year, Isaiah Horton did the same and wound up at Texas A&M.
This loss wouldn’t have been quite so painful had Alabama landed Auburn transfer Cam Coleman, but the former five-star chose Texas. The Tide were able to land NC State transfer Noah Rogers as a consolation prize to Coleman, but without Horton, they’ll miss a true X wide receiver with Horton’s 6-foot-4 size to win jump balls. Horton was a true red zone threat this season, catching eight touchdowns, including three against Auburn.
A 2023 five-star, Smith is a two-year contributor for the Tide, playing 422 defensive snaps this season as a redshirt sophomore. He finished the year with 11 QB pressures, 2.5 sacks, and 26 tackles.
Incoming USC transfer Devan Thompkins should fill Smith’s role along the defensive line, but the Tide lost too much from that group, after getting bludgeoned by Indiana, to have much faith in the group next season.
Smith isn’t the only Alabama transfer heading to Columbus. He and Qua Russaw are a package deal for the Buckeyes and one that will give Matt Patricia serious depth up front. A linebacker in Kane Wommack’s defense, Russaw is a stand-up edge with impressive pass rush talent, but he was limited by injuries in 2025.
With Russaw hurt and struggling, Yhonzae Pierre emerged as the Tide’s best edge rusher, replacing Russaw atop the depth chart. Rather than leave for the NFL, Pierre is returning to Tuscaloosa to help solidify that pass-rush group, but Russaw’s loss is still significant.