There are legitimate reasons to doubt the Alabama Crimson Tide football team. The Alabama offensive line is a major cause for concern. Alabama has loads of talent in its quarterback group, but that talent lacks meaningful game experience. There is the inescapable fact that in the Rose Bowl playoff game, the Indiana Hoosiers were the more physical team.
And there is another big reason for doubt. Though it is unfair to compare, Kalen DeBoer is no Nick Saban. That all other college football coaches are also not equal to Saban does make DeBoer's challenge any easier.
In a college football world that now requires annual roster rebuilds, Alabama remains somewhat old school. The Crimson Tide brought in 15 transfers in Nick Saban's last season. That equals the average number Kalen DeBoer has added, with 13 transfers in the 2025 cycle and 17 for 2026.
By comparison, LSU has added 40 transfers for 2026, and Auburn has added 39. Arkansas, needing more roster help than any other SEC team, has added 42. Nine SEC teams have added 25 or more transfers. The main outlier is the Georgia Bulldogs. Kirby Smart has relied the most on roster retention and thereby added only nine transfers.
Alabama Crimson Tde Transfer Class
The transfer rankings by 247Sports have the Alabama Crimson Tide with the No. 18 transfer class among all FBS teams. By that measure, some experts argue Alabama has not done enough to improve the 2026 roster. Among SEC teams, Alabama has the No. 9 class, but those rankings tilt toward quantity over quality. In average transfer player rankings, six SEC teams have an average player ranking of 88 or above.
The Georgia Bulldogs lead in average transfer player rankings at 90.56. Texas is next at 88.86, followed by Ole Miss at 88.69, LSU at 88.45, and Alabama at 88.12. Texas A&M is close behind the Crimson Tide at 88.06.
The simple fact is that Alabama's high school recruiting and roster retention have been good under Kalen DeBoer. The Crimson Tide's 2026 class was the SEC's No. 1 and No. 3 overall. Alabama had the No. 3 overall best class in 2025, as well.
The bottom line is the Alabama Crimson Tide remains one of college football's most talented teams. If all the position group pieces flourish, Alabama can exceed 2026 'expert' expectations.
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