Isaiah Bond transferred to Texas from Alabama last year in a move he called a business decision. Bond thought he could improve his draft stock and play in an offensive system and with a QB who could get him the football more.
Bond officially went undrafted on Saturday, with seven rounds coming and going without hearing his name called. His numbers were down across the board in his junior season at Texas from where they were during his sophomore year at Alabama:
2023: 48 catches, 668 yards, 4 touchdowns
2024: 34 catches, 540 yards, 5 touchdowns
Bond had a nice start to the season for the Longhorns, but caught just 14 passes over the final eight games of the season, including a total of four combined in the team's last four games. He went from being Alabama's leading receiver a year ago to the third leading receiver for Texas behind Matthew Golden and Gunnar Helm.
"Just like the business world, you make the best decision for your company," Bond told ESPN last year after transferring. "My company right now is my draft stock. I feel like I'm putting myself in position to increase that and have better draft stock."
Bond was projected as a 1st or 2nd Round pick following an impressive sophomore season with the Crimson Tide. He had flashed tremendous speed and contested catch ability. He caught one of the most famous passes in Alabama history when he hauled in a touchdown pass from Jalen Milroe on 4th-and-31 in the Iron Bowl to lift the Crimson Tide to an improbable victory over Auburn.
Brond would have forever been an Alabama legend for that play alone. He turned his back on that legacy for perceived greener pastures in Austin. He learned a difficult lesson that the grass isn't always greener.
Bond spoke of Nick Saban's retirement as being the main reason that he left, but there were rumors that he was going to enter the Transfer Portal well before Saban walked away. The real reason is he wasn't happy with his role and wasn't happy with his QB. He did not perceive Jalen Milroe as a good enough QB to get him where he wanted to go and instead hitched his wagon to Quinn Ewers.
On Ewers, Bond said:
"One hundred percent. He's a great big-time pocket-passer quarterback. He's a top pick in the draft next year. I'm also going to be a top pick. It's going to be a good duo."
Life comes at you fast. Ewers was ultimately taken by the Miami Dolphins in the 7th Round while Bond went undrafted. For what it's worth, Milroe was taken in the 3rd Round, four full rounds before Ewers, the big-time pocket passer and perceived top pick.
The grass wasn't greener for Bond, other Alabama transfers
Bond wasn't the only former Alabama player to go undrafted this weekend:
Trey Amos was ultimately the only Alabama transfer who was drafted. Undrafted former Alabama players include Isaiah Bond, Seth McLaughlin, Traeshon Holden, Amari Kight, and Ale Kaho (probably missed a name or two).
— Alabama Pro Updates (@BamaProUpdates) April 26, 2025
Seth McLaughlin probably would have been a day two pick if he hadn't ruptured his Achilles tendon in November. He and Caleb Downs found success with the Buckeyes while plenty of other Alabama transfers struggled.
Bond didn't have the year he hoped for at Texas, and then the sexual assault allegations that popped up earlier this month led to him going undrafted over the weekend.
These players gave plenty of fodder to Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer, who warned his current team of the grass not being greener. This time, those warnings were heeded. Alabama escaped the spring Transfer Portal window without a single player leaving. They were the only SEC team to do so.