Coach Nick Saban was the greatest college football coach of all time at assembling talent. Saban was absolutely dominant in traditional recruiting and stacking blue-chippers on his roster. When the advent of the transfer portal came about, old school coaches like Saban weren’t supposed to be able to keep up.
While Saban never took big numbers out of the portal, he mastered the art of handpicking top talent at positions of need.
Standouts like Landon Dickerson, Jameson Williams, and Jahmyr Gibbs were portal gems, all of whom made a major positive impact on the program. Others, like Tyler Steen, Trezmen Marshall, and CJ Dippre, quietly filled roles and provided a steadying presence for Alabama Football.
While it’s true that the portal can hurt major programs like Alabama and is a constant threat to the depth of such teams, Saban found a way to supplement his roster and get the most bang for his buck.
So far, Coach Kalen DeBoer has done a lot of the same.
Cries of a “mass exodus” out of Tuscaloosa will come from opposing fans virtually every offseason in the transfer portal era. Alabama, just like any other powerhouse program that recruits at an elite clip, has a depth chart loaded with talented players who can’t get on the field. As a result, the Tide can expect to lose roughly 20 players to the portal in any given year.
Bama already has 14 exits in the 2025 portal cycle, some of them very good players. Running back Justice Haynes, gadget weapon Kendrick Law, and Husky Devonta Smith were all first-team players for all intents and purposes. The rest of Bama’s transfer losses have been quality reserves or young players with potential.
While Alabama will undoubtedly lose more players to the portal than it brings in, Alabama fans should not be concerned. Coach DeBoer, general manager Courtney Morgan, and the rest of the staff will continue to choose their portal pickups wisely.
This is a golden opportunity for Alabama to shore up the imperfections in a roster that should be ready to compete for a national title in 2025.
Five big additions (and not done yet?)
The depth Alabama is losing to the portal will, ideally, be replaced by an incoming freshman class that has been dubbed one of the best in the country.
Now, it looks to fill any potential holes in its first-team rotations via the portal. Early in this cycle, Alabama has already gone to the portal to supplement its lines of scrimmage.
Interior offensive lineman Kam Dewberry (Texas A&M) and defensive lineman Kelby Collins (Florida) come to Tuscaloosa with significant SEC experience under their belts. Dewberry could prove to be a pivotal addition with All-American guard Tyler Booker likely off to the NFL.
The defensive line is still very much in flux, with draft decisions pending from stalwarts Tim Keenan III and LT Overton. Should this pair return, the defensive line could be a strength for the Tide in 2025. If they depart, however, it will be a serious question mark heading into the spring. The addition of Collins gives Alabama some much-needed insurance.
Another position group that is up in the air is inside linebacker. Sting ‘backer Jihaad Campbell, one of Alabama’s most versatile pieces on the defensive side of the ball, will be playing on Sundays next fall. The general belief is that his running mate Deontae Lawson will as well, but there is an outside chance Lawson comes back.
Top reserve Justin Jefferson appears to be out of eligibility, but the recent court ruling regarding the eligibility status of former JUCO players could give him another year (or two).
If Lawson and Jefferson are both somehow back in the fold next year, Alabama will be fine at linebacker. Still, this Bama staff is not taking any chances and added Colorado transfer Nikhai Hill-Green. Hill-Green will bring experience and disruptive tendencies to the second level of the Tide defense.
Lastly, Alabama added some perimeter talent that should raise the ceiling of the team in 2025.
The Tide should be pretty good in the secondary next year. It fielded a lot of young talent in 2024, with players like Zabien Brown, Jaylen Mbakwe, Bray Hubbard, and Zay Mincey gaining valuable experience and proving they belong. It now brings in another loaded defensive back haul to add to the room.
Still, that didn’t stop Alabama from picking up Utah transfer cornerback Cam Calhoun. Calhoun gives Alabama a contingency plan if Domani Jackson heads to the NFL, and will provide quality depth otherwise.
On the other side of the ball, Bama added Miami wide receiver Isaiah Horton in what might be its biggest pickup of the portal cycle so far. Ryan Williams and Germie Bernard were good this season, but Alabama desperately needed a reliable third option to step up, and it never got that on a consistent basis.
Assuming it gets quality QB play, Horton could take Alabama’s offense to another level in 2025.
More areas of need?
Alabama will likely continue to comb through the portal for more big bodies in the trenches. Quality linemen are very hard to find in the portal, but the Tide should be in contention for those that are available.
The offensive tackle spots could be the biggest question marks on the roster heading into 2025. Bama needs serious development from Kadyn Proctor, Elijah Pritchett, and Wilkin Formby, or it may have to turn to the portal.
As previously stated, Alabama could also need help on the defensive line and at linebacker. These position groups are mostly dependent on NFL draft decisions at the moment.
Otherwise, this is shaping up to be a very solid roster. As is typically the case, Alabama should have the necessary blend of top-end talent and quality depth to be among the best teams in the country.
Stay up to date on the Tide's latest portal movements here.