It has been a quiet spring Transfer Portal window for Alabama football. No scholarship player has left the program, but until Wednesday night, the Crimson Tide had not added anyone, either.
Kalen DeBoer and company have been searching for some players around the margins to increase depth. Tight end has been the No. 1 position of need for Alabama this spring. By the end of spring practice, the Tide only had a single healthy scholarship player remaining at the position.
Alabama has been linked with Troy TE Brody Dalton, who is currently in Tuscaloosa on a visit. However, on Wednesday night, Alabama landed a commitment from a player they had not publicly been linked to in West Virginia's Jack Sammarco:
BREAKING: West Virginia transfer TE Jack Sammarco has Committed to Alabama, he tells @on3sports
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) April 23, 2025
The 6’5 260 TE played in all 13 games in 2024 for the Mountaineers
Will have 3 years of eligibility remaining https://t.co/RlUbB6EMhS pic.twitter.com/vQ3tOp0SHl
Sammarco is a 6-foot-5, 238-pound tight end who fills the in-line tight end need the Crimson Tide has had. Both Josh Cuevas and Danny Lewis Jr. are more pass-catching options. Alabama needed a replacement for Robbie Ouzts, who was an unsung hero on last year's team with his ability to block.
Sammarco only caught one pass for four yards last year at West Virginia, but he saw action in all 13 games for the Mountaineers.
Sammarco is a native of Cincinnati, Ohio, and was a 3-star prospect out of high school in the class of 2024. Sammarco entered the Transfer Portal just a week ago, so his recruitment and ultimate commitment to Alabama happened quickly. So quickly, in fact, that there hadn't been any reports of him being pursued by the Crimson Tide coaching staff.
What does this mean for Brody Dalton?
Alabama would still have a spot for Dalton if he wanted to join. The Crimson Tide now has six scholarship tight ends on the roster with Sammarco's addition. But four of those six are first- or second-year players.
Sammarco could certainly fill a role for Alabama next season, but he's coming to Tuscaloosa knowing his best football for Alabama will be in the future. Dalton has a single season of eligibility remaining and would not impact Sammarco or any of the other young tight ends' developments.
Alabama isn't swinging for the fences in the Transfer Portal during the spring window. DeBoer is comfortable with his roster. Sammarco is the kind of addition to the margins that Alabama was hoping for and should make this team better by providing some much-needed depth at the tight end position.