Alabama locks in a transfer visit with a DL who can replace Keon Keeley

With Keon Keeley headed out the door and into the transfer portal, the Alabama Crimson Tide is on the hunt for a new defensive lineman who can fill his place.

Well, that very player may have just booked his flight to Tuscaloosa. USC defensive lineman Devan Thompkins entered the transfer portal earlier this week after three years with the Trojans.

Thompkins is currently ranked as the No. 2 D-lineman and No. 28 overall prospect in the portal, making him a prime target for a ton of programs, but a must get for the Crimson Tide.

Kalen DeBoer must target Devan Thompkins

This season for USC, Thompkins amassed 31 total tackles (18 solo), three sacks, two pass deflections, and one forced fumble. In comparison, Keeley earned just 13 total tackles, three sacks, and one pass deflection.

Simply put, Thompkins wouldn’t just be a good replacement for Keeley, he’d be a major upgrade for the Alabama defense.

Keeley isn’t the only Alabama player to hit the portal, with 17 players officially entering their name after it opened on Jan. 2.

So far, DeBoer and his staff have landed just one commitment from the portal, in the form of three-star tight end Josh Ford, who joined the Crimson Tide from the Oklahoma State Cowboys.

Jaylen Mbakwe, who committed to the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets earlier today, is the only former Alabama player who has committed to a new program at this point.

The transfer portal closes on Jan. 16, and since it opened earlier this week, programs across the country are officially allowed to reach out to players.

While this season was undeniably a success for the Tide, it still left fans lacking without an SEC title or a deep run in the College Football Playoff. The transfer portal has rubbed a little salt in that wound, but DeBoer has a great opportunity to rebuild and upgrade his team in a major way.