Alabama’s roster is far from perfect, but if there’s one position that Kalen DeBoer has most needed to address this offseason, it’s the offensive line. That’s not just through his six incoming transfers, but also in future recruiting classes. However, a former offensive line commit seems to be slipping away to a former Nick Saban assistant, Mario Cristobal.
Four-star offensive lineman Jatori Williams from Phenix City, Alabama, committed to the Tide in September, then decommitted from Kalen DeBoer’s program on December 1. Now, the 6-foot-5, 320-pound 2027 recruit has set an official visit to Miami for June 5, according to On3’s EJ Holland.
Former Alabama OL commit Jatori Williams (@JatoriWilliams) is set to make an official visit to Miami on June 5. Ranked as a Top 150 recruit nationally. That and more here #GoCanes. https://t.co/zsWJh8O3kA pic.twitter.com/nJeMTtH0cA
— "EJ Holland" (@EJHollandOn3) February 4, 2026
Former 4-star Alabama commit Jatori Williams sets official visit to Miami
The 107th overall recruit and sixth-ranked interior offensive linemen in the 2027 class, Williams was a major addition for Kalen DeBoer and general manager Courtney Morgan back in the fall. Alabama’s 2026 class, which ranked No. 3 in the country, did not include an offensive lineman ranked in the top 200 nationally. Four-star offensive tackle Bryson Cooley (No. 203) was the highest-ranked.
After a season in which Alabama ranked 131st in rushing success rate, only one starter from the offensive line, 2025 five-star Michael Carroll, is returning for the 2026 season. The rest of the line will consist primarily of the six transfer additions that DeBoer and Morgan made this offseason.
Many of those incoming transfers arrive with multiple years of eligibility remaining, but the offensive line is routinely one of the thinnest positions in the portal. It’s nearly impossible to consistently build a line of transfers, especially for a program like Alabama that has clearly decided to spend much of its resources on high school talent.
If DeBoer and Morgan are building through high school, they can’t afford to let a top-ranked offensive line leave the state to join Miami, which has become an offensive line factory under Cristobal. That trench play dominance, on both sides of the ball, led the Hurricanes to the National Championship Game, and gave them the best chance against an Indiana team that steamrolled Alabama in the Rose Bowl.
Alabama could still get back into the mix for Williams, but Tide fans should be concerned about him trending toward Miami at this point in the cycle.