Alabama has added 17 scholarship players to the roster via the Transfer Portal. Along with 24 additions in the 2026 recruiting class, the Crimson Tide has 41 incoming players with 40 outgoing between the portal and NFL Draft/graduation.
That puts Alabama at +1 in terms of its roster now versus the end of the season. The Crimson Tideh as 86 players on scholarship, but the limit is now 105. That means there could be a few additions here and there over the coming weeks, though it's doubtful Alabama gets all the way to 105.
Most positions have plenty of depth, but wide receiver has been an area of concern for Kalen DeBoer. Until the latest two additions, the Crimson Tide had just six scholarship receivers on the roster. While they are still looking for one or two more additions, DeBoer and GM Courtney Morgan made a couple of under-the-radar additions to the room recently.
The first was getting former walk-on MJ Chirgwin to exit the portal and return to the Crimson Tide with a scholarship. The second was on Sunday, when Alabama announced the signing of MJ Mathis, an unranked 2026 high school WR who will enroll immediately.
MJ Chirgwin and MJ Mathis are Alabama's newest additions to the WR room
Chirgwin, a California native, caught two passes for 31 yards this season for Alabama. He caught a touchdown pass from Keelon Russell in the Crimson Tide's 73-0 win over UL Monroe in the 2025 home opener.
He's purely a depth addition, but Chirgwin is someone who already knows the system and will be a valuable player in practice as a result.
Mathis is from Warner Robbins, Georgia and was a Samford commitment. He flew under-the-radar in the recruitment process, despite having good size (6-foot-1, 180 pounds) and production. Mathis produced over 1200 yards and 16 touchdowns during his senior season.
Mathis is a pure upside swing, but in this day and age, you need players like this. Because Mathis - and Chirgwin - won't cost Alabama anything outside of a scholarship. There's no rev-share or NIL money going to either, which allows DeBoer and company to divert the resources elsewhere.