Greg McElroy identifies Alabama's biggest needs in transfer portal

The Transfer Portal is a consistent challenge for teams to navigate in the modern game, but it also offers opportunities. For the Alabama Crimson Tide and head coach Kalen DeBoer, it also offers an opportunity to fill in gaps they’ve found on their roster through the spring.

Former Alabama quarterback and current analyst Greg McElroy dove into the Crimson Tide’s portal needs on Always College Football. There, he highlighted tight end and edge rusher as two positions for the Crimson Tide to focus on.

“Alabama desperately needs depth at tight end,” Greg McElroy said. “Okay? I think Alabama would stand to benefit from adding a proven pass rusher. A veteran from a position of need, whether it’s inside along the d-line or on the edge. That’d be great, but let’s be real. Everybody wants a proven pass rusher. Everybody.”

Those two positions are going to cost a major difference in attaining. So, if the Crimson Tide don’t want to spend on an experienced edge rusher, then the move is going to be to add tight end depth, according to McElroy.

“Is Alabama willing to go out and spend precious resources and try to outspend other teams that might be in the market for the exact same thing? Probably not,” McElroy said. “I think Alabama is probably gonna try to focus their attention on positions in which they might get an immediate boost. They might be able to get an immediate boost without spending a ridiculous amount of money, and that’s a tight end.”

The Alabama roster currently lists eight different tight ends on its active roster. That includes three tight ends who have transferred into the program and several young players who lack experience.

“Their tight end situation last year was quite good. CJ Dippre was very versatile, very solid, played the Y spot and the tight end position, but could move. Could play H. Had some position versatility and was not an elite pass catcher but was a really well-rounded, rock-solid tight end for the Tide. You also had an H-back in Robbie Ouzts that was the hammer in the run game. He was every bit of 270, 275, and was a slightly undersized offensive tackle that could move a little bit. Wasn’t ever gonna threaten you in the passing attack but he was a guy that could open up lanes in the run game that was really, really beneficial because if he was in the ballgame, and you had a linebacker that had to crackdown on Robbie Ouzts, you were in serious trouble,” McElroy said.

“Both those guys are now gone, and Alabama has decent quality at the position, but I think if the right one jumps into the portal Alabama will absolutely entertain those conversations. They tried to go after a few guys I believe back in the winter, and they added a few, one that was a walk-on. They tried to improve their depth at that spot, but it was still a position that I feel after spring they feel like we can take a pretty decent sized step there if we add somebody with high level playing experience.”

The three tight ends who Alabama has already added are Peter Knudson, who is coming from Weber State, Jack Sammarco from West Virginia, and Brody Dalton from Troy. However, there is still time to continue to add players as they become available.

“So, expect Alabama to be very active in pursuing a tight end,” McElroy said. “If one hops in that could make that room better.”