Which positions Alabama will target when spring transfer portal opens
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama will wrap up its spring practice schedule on Saturday with its 2024 A-Day Game at Bryant-Denny Stadium. But Kalen DeBoer and his coaching staff will have to quickly shift their focus to the NCAA transfer portal, which opens Tuesday, April 16.
Players will have 15 days to enter the portal, and while the Crimson Tide is likely to lose some players who went through 15 practices, it is also set to add needed depth to its roster.
DeBoer was asked which positions Alabama will target in the upcoming transfer window.
“I would say the defensive backfield we’re probably a guy short or so. Offensive line, we’re probably a guy short,” DeBoer said. “Just from the numbers that you typically would see and also where we want to be. So not saying we’ll take a look and evaluate, and you never know. There might be some guys from our roster surprise us, as well.
“We’ve just gotta continue to be fluid, be ready to adjust and continue to keep our eyes open for what’s out there when that time comes.”
The Tide has 13 scholarship offensive linemen on its roster this spring and is expected to bring back left tackle Kadyn Proctor, who transferred to Iowa in January but has said he will return to Tuscaloosa after a brief hiatus. That will be a necessary boost to the offensive tackle room that has had four scholarship players in it through Alabama’s 14 practices.
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At defensive back, the Crimson Tide has eight safeties, including Michigan transfer Keon Sabb. So the position DeBoer will likely target is at cornerback, where Alabama has fielded only five players this spring. Only one of those, Jahlil Hurley, was on the team last year.
While DeBoer will look to beef up his roster at certain spots, it could also lose some of its players to the portal. Twenty-eight players transferred during or after the 2023 season, including 10 who moved on after the coaching change. As Alabama gets set for its final spring practice, its new head coach was asked for his message to the team before Tuesday.
“It would just be about us taking the next step and focusing on themselves and our team and getting better on Saturday,” DeBoer said. “And also enjoying everything that comes along with A-Day and the hype and the celebration, all of that.”
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