Alabama football's starting right tackle Elijah Pritchett is entering the Transfer Portal, per On3's Hayes Fawcett.
BREAKING: Alabama starting OT Elijah Pritchett plans to enter the Transfer Portal, he tells @on3sports
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) January 4, 2025
The 6’6 330 OT started in all 13 games for the Crimson Tide this season
2 years of eligibility remaining https://t.co/RlUbB6Fk7q pic.twitter.com/MdEs8N0I9L
Pritchett started in 12 of Alabama's 13 games in 2024, contrary to what Fawcett says in his tweet. Pritchett started the season opener against Western Kentucky at left tackle with Kadyn Proctor missing the first two games with an injury. He was then benched in favor of Tyler Booker kicking out from guard to tackle against USF, but Pritchett came off the bench to replace an ineffective and penalty-prone Wilkin Formby.
Pritchett had his best performance of the season in the six and a half minutes he played against the Bulls with 42% of Alabama's offensive production for that game coming in that amount of time Pritchett was in at right tackle.
Pritchett started at right tackle the remainder of the season, but his performance was uneven and Formby saw more and more snaps toward the end of the season. Formby relieved an ineffective Pritchett during the ReliaQuest Bowl loss to Michigan.
Pritchett's decision to transfer likely means that Formby will be in the driver's seat to start at right tackle in 2025. 4-star freshman Jackson Lloyd is likely to push Formby as well.
Alabama has a concern now with their depth at offensive tackle. On Friday, the Crimson Tide took an interesting transfer in Ball State OT Arkel Anugwom. Anugwom didn't play football until his senior year of high school and started one game at Ball State during his freshman season.
He figures to be a developmental prospect for the Crimson Tide and not someone Kalen DeBoer and company want to call on for meaningful snaps next season.
Alabama's tackle depth is now extremely limited with Pritchett gone. Even after taking Anugwom in the Transfer Portal, I would expect Alabama to remain active as they look to increase their depth at tackle. Pritchett moving on could allow them to potentially target a starting caliber tackle now that Formby would be the only player in the way of the starting right tackle job.
I would also expect to see a significant jump from Formby over the offseason, but currently Alabama is an injury away from real issues.