Alabama lands priority Oklahoma target in Transfer Portal as playoff tension builds

Three days before kick-off, Alabama scored a big win over Oklahoma.

Oklahoma State transfer TE Josh Ford, who was a priority target in the portal for Brent Venables and the Sooners, has signed with the Crimson Tide, according to On3's Pete Nakos:

While the Transfer Portal doesn't officially open until January 2nd, Ford entered the portal following the firing of Mike Gundy, which triggered a 30-day window at the time that Ford took advantage of. That window has been removed for future coaching changes with the NCAA moving to one portal window from January 2nd-January 16th each year, but Ford was in the portal before the rule change was made.

Ford is a Stillwater native and commanded a lot of interest once he decided to leave Oklahoma State. He had recently announced a trimmed-down list of schools he was considering, which included Alabama, Oklahoma, Auburn, Arkansas, and Illinois.

Josh Ford is a nice early get for Kalen DeBoer in the Transfer Portal

Grabbing a tight end in the Transfer Portal was always going to be a priority. Alabama will lose at least two tight ends from the current roster this offseason, with Josh Cuevas and Troy transfer Brody Dalton exhausting their eligibility. That's not to mention any other potential attrition in the portal.

The Crimson Tide only signed one tight end in their 2026 recruiting class in 4-star Mack Sutter. That left Kalen DeBoer with only one option to fill out the room.

Ford's stats won't jump off the page. He has totaled just 13 receptions for 137 yards and two touchdowns across a season and a half in Stillwater. But what Ford will bring to the table won't show up in his statistics.

Alabama has badly missed Robbie Ouzts this season. Ouzts was an excellent blocker, and while his stats didn't jump off the page, he found himself selected in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft because of his blocking ability.

Alabama has plenty of skilled talent at tight end in freshmen Kaleb Edwards and Marshall Pritchett, who will be joined by Sutter next year. But the Crimson Tide desperately needed a quality in-line blocking tight end, which is exactly what Ford will bring to the table. At 6-foot-6 and 265 pounds, Ford is a quality addition at a position of need for Alabama.

He will arrive in Tuscaloosa ready to compete for playing time immediately, providing a big boost to a beleaguered Tide ground game.