Quite a few Transfer Portal classes have more star power than Kalen DeBoer pulled in for Alabama, but the Crimson Tide addressed a lot of needs on both sides of the ball and added players who are going to be beneficial to winning football games in 2026.
Some guys are obvious. Others are flying under the radar but could ultimately play integral roles in Tuscaloosa next season.
It's clear that DeBoer and GM Courtney Morgan took the portal more seriously this cycle than last, with Alabama adding 20 players via the portal.
Let's examine three guys off the beaten path who will play a major factor for the Crimson Tide in 2026.
3 under-the-radar Transfer Portal additions for Alabama football
1. Josh Ford, TE, Oklahoma State
One of the guys who might make the biggest impact for Alabama next season also happens to be the first guy to join the portal class. Oklahoma State transfer TE Josh Ford committed and signed with Alabama before the portal was officially open after entering after Mike Gundy was fired by Oklahoma State mid-season.
Ford isn't going to be a guy who makes a ton of big plays in the passing game: in two seasons in Stillwater, the Oklahoma native caught 13 passes for 137 yards and a pair of touchdowns. But what Ford will do is help as the inline blocking TE that Alabama was missing all year after losing Robbie Ouzts to the NFL.
Ford has the size (6-foot-6, 265) and the athleticism to be a real difference-maker for the Alabama running game. With a new TE coach in Richard Owens with an offensive line background, DeBoer's plans for next season couldn't be more obvious.
2. Kedrick Bingley-Jones, DL, Mississippi State
Improvement on both lines of scrimmage was the biggest point of emphasis for DeBoer and Morgan in the portal. While Bingley-Jones wasn't highly rated like other Tide DL additions in Devan Thompkins (USC) and Terrance Green (Oregon), he's an experienced big body that could play nose or defensive tackle for the Crimson Tide.
Bingley-Jones recently got his waiver approved for a seventh-year of college football. He's one of the most experienced players in college football, having played a lot of snaps at both North Carolina and Mississippi State before making his way to Tuscaloosa.
He's also motivated to earn the respect of Alabama fans, and should come in and immediately bust his tail to try to get on the field.
3. Racin Delgatty, IOL, Cal Poly
If I had to bet one of Alabama's six portal additions on the offensive line to start next season, it would be Cal Poly's Racin Delgatty. While he'll need to add a little weight and adjust to a major upgrade in competition, Delgatty looks like a perfect fit for DeBoer and OC Ryan Grubb's offensive system.
He's athletic enough to get out in space and work to the second level in the running game. SEC Network analyst Cole Cubelic recently raved about Delgatty, calling him effectively a carbon copy of departed center Parker Brailsford.
Delgatty has some work to do once spring practice opens, but he's the odds-on favorite to be Alabama's starting center in 2026.