The latest transfer portal target for Alabama Football is Racin Delgatty. In the 2025 season, as a redshirt sophomore, Delgatty played center. In his college career, he has played 1,316 snaps and allowed only one sack. That impressive stat must be given an asterisk. All of his college experience has been at the FCS level, playing for Cal State Poly.
Alabama football fans do not universally embrace lower-tier players joining the Crimson Tide. Recent transfer addition, Carmelo O'neal played for the Mercer Bears. O'neal may well become an important depth addition for Alabama, but many Alabama fans only get excited by former 4-star and 5-star recruits.
There are plenty of examples of why such tunnel vision can be wrong. The most recent and most outstanding example is the season Trinidad Chambliss had for the Ole Miss Rebels. Chambliss led the Ole Miss offense to a playoff win over Georgia. His previous playing experience came at Division Two Ferris State.
Alabama Football is not setting a new trend
In the current portal cycle, teams from every Power Four conference have added FCS players. A Cal Poly teammate of Delgatty will be a new quarterback for UCLA. There is also a long history of NFL Drafts and NFL careers, where players from lesser college football programs and lower divisions can be outstanding performers at higher levels.
Alabama Football needed to add depth at the center position. Delgatty would provide just that. He might even win a future starting role. With two seasons of eligibility remaining, he could become an important component of the 2026 or 2027 Alabama offensive line. Reportedly, UCLA and Michigan have also offered Delgatty. Perhaps the Wolverines are interested due to their loss of center Kaden Strayhorn to the Alabama Crimson Tide.
This season's favorite to become the National Champion, the Indiana Hoosiers have a roster populated with FCS players and not previously highly rated recruits, including a former college football Division III player.
Alabama Football should not and will not stop pursuing players with elite reputations, but in today's college football, impact players come from many levels.