🏈 2026 Alabama Roster Management Chart and Portal news

[Rolltide24]

With Manning remaining in Texas another season, I’d be shocked if Coleman doesn’t end up in Austin. And Texas selects 2 players each year to provide a free lease on a new Lambo to, they would likely use that to sweeten the offer to him. Worked for Bond.

 

[Kamikazi18627]

So was Bak one of the guys asked if he was planning to enter the portal before the Indiana game and replied that he was not entering? I assume that’s what Grover is talking about.

Exactly what he’s talking about

 

[JoseyWalesTheOutlaw]

Reallocation Happened. So, #3 old salary wasn't his new salary?

 

[JoseyWalesTheOutlaw]

Why can't we say his name instead of #?

You can say whatever you want.

 

[Rolltide24]

Exactly what he’s talking about

That’s what I thought. I reference back to my comments when reporters were asking these kids if they planned to leave or not and (not) surprisingly, they all said they planned to stay. Then other media took the responses and wrote articles on them. Stupid time to ask that question.

 

[Justneedme81]

Reallocation Happened. So, #3 saw is old salary wasn't his new salary?

Sound like it. Jaylen is a good kid, but sometime I question his motives at time... last year was about NIL deal. This year same thing.

 

[Justneedme81]

 

[Justneedme81]

As of now:
Departures:
Aeryn Hampton, Kameron Howard, Roq Montgomery, Richard Young, Jaylen Mbakwe, Joseph Ionata, Jalen Hale, Olaus Alinen, Noah Carter, Peter Notaro
Additions: Josh Ford
Current targets: Hollywood Smothers, Cam Coleman, Caleb Woodson, Devan Thompkins

 

[JoseyWalesTheOutlaw]

So, we may have two Hollywood's on the team in 2026. We damn sure need a RB to go with these two freshmen.

 

[Justneedme81]

I wouldn't consider him a legit source, but ..

 

[Justneedme81]

This goes under the column of those that we’d like to entice back.

Losing Carter hurt. I wish we could keep him, but Hill is much better and we got Matthew coming in and he's supposedly better than Carter. He was going to get passed up eventually. Might be best for him to move on.

 

[bamafan9201]

Losing Carter hurt. I wish we could keep him, but Hill is much better and we got Matthew coming in and he's supposedly better than Carter. He was going to get passed up eventually. Might be best for him to move on.

I'm of the opinion that the guy you've been developing for 2 years is the better option over a fresh from high school guy...we just saw the difference against us. We lost to a team of veteran players, they had very few young guys out there.


Teams are going to have to learn that supplementing with young talent is a good move, but finding veteran 21+ guys in the portal with talent that's already been sharpened is a better option.

I think recruiting and how it's handled will take a different turn more and more. Teams will look to classes to "supplement" things and try to hit diamonds in the rough vs trying to land the top 3 class every year with all elite talent. Because in 2-3 years you spend your NIL on talent that will likely be gone or won't bloom and you'll have to ask them to move on.

Teams like Indiana and others are realizing that you can just take the talent/growth from others via the portal and skip the whole "maturing" process. I know it's not always going to be easy to figure out that talent that way and scout it but basically it's going to change the game. People thought NIL was the big change to the game and evened the playing field between SEC and the rest of the world but I believe the Transfer Portal did more than anything.

Parity was created with the Transfer Portal, teams that couldn't be good before (Indiana) found ways to avoid the problem of developing talent from square 1 and immediately pushed a talented roster within 2 years because of the portal, not because of NIL.

Anyways, I think Carter should be a priority to retain because he was a DeBoer guy, he has the talent and he's got 2 years under his belt with weights and time in the system. If it happens? Who knows, but I think you'd want to retain him and keep the young talent if possible because you don't know which of those guys will not work out.

 

[Justneedme81]

 

[Justneedme81]

I'm of the opinion that the guy you've been developing for 2 years is the better option over a fresh from high school guy...we just saw the difference against us. We lost to a team of veteran players, they had very few young guys out there.


Teams are going to have to learn that supplementing with young talent is a good move, but finding veteran 21+ guys in the portal with talent that's already been sharpened is a better option.

I think recruiting and how it's handled will take a different turn more and more. Teams will look to classes to "supplement" things and try to hit diamonds in the rough vs trying to land the top 3 class every year with all elite talent. Because in 2-3 years you spend your NIL on talent that will likely be gone or won't bloom and you'll have to ask them to move on.

Teams like Indiana and others are realizing that you can just take the talent/growth from others via the portal and skip the whole "maturing" process. I know it's not always going to be easy to figure out that talent that way and scout it but basically it's going to change the game. People thought NIL was the big change to the game and evened the playing field between SEC and the rest of the world but I believe the Transfer Portal did more than anything.

Parity was created with the Transfer Portal, teams that couldn't be good before (Indiana) found ways to avoid the problem of developing talent from square 1 and immediately pushed a talented roster within 2 years because of the portal, not because of NIL.

Anyways, I think Carter should be a priority to retain because he was a DeBoer guy, he has the talent and he's got 2 years under his belt with weights and time in the system. If it happens? Who knows, but I think you'd want to retain him and keep the young talent if possible because you don't know which of those guys will not work out.

1. Indiana... That was pure coaching job.. coaching them up. he had gems everywhere. 2025 Indiana Football Transfer Portal

2. You need mixture of HS and transfer portal to sustain the long term goal of constantly making to playoff. OSU, Georgia are doing that. Ole miss relied on transfer portal almost exclusively and they are doing well. So you can win big with both. methods.

3. I think Alabama needs to do what OSU and Georgia has been doing... keep developing and don't worry about losing some players to portal. OSU/Georgia are dealing with same thing, and yet they're going to be fine.

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

Making sure you have a top QB along with a more than capable backup (to help manage and win games during a stretch if necessary) is extremely important. Right there with QB play, OL and DL (DE and EDGE) talent must be stocked. IMO, OL is easier to cultivate trough recruiting, but evaluations must be solid. DL is more difficult and they are costly in the portal, but they are vital.

Then prioritize the other positions in order of need. Maybe you're thin at TE? Maybe there's a need a physical, hard nosed and experienced safety? More speed or a deep threat at WR? A kicker? Those needs will change year to year, but QB, OL, and DL/DE/EDGE must come first.

The last piece of the puzzle is the coaching. With the ability to have unlimited coaches on the practice fields now, there is no excuse not to have the roster covered with top shelf coaches/teachers.

You look at Indiana, and they've unlocked it. I think UGA does a good job with it too, but most of the teams that advanced had at least some combo of the top tier QB/OL/DL and solid coaching. You get all 4, and you're sitting pretty.

 

[TerryP]

I'm told / texted Potter is reporting LB Woodson and DL Thompkins to sign.

 

[JoseyWalesTheOutlaw]

Making sure you have a top QB along with a more than capable backup (to help manage and win games during a stretch if necessary) is extremely important. Right there with QB play, OL and DL (DE and EDGE) talent must be stocked. IMO, OL is easier to cultivate trough recruiting, but evaluations must be solid. DL is more difficult and they are costly in the portal, but they are vital.

Then prioritize the other positions in order of need. Maybe you're thin at TE? Maybe there's a need a physical, hard nosed and experienced safety? More speed or a deep threat at WR? A kicker? Those needs will change year to year, but QB, OL, and DL/DE/EDGE must come first.

The last piece of the puzzle is the coaching. With the ability to have unlimited coaches on the practice fields now, there is no excuse not to have the roster covered with top shelf coaches/teachers.

You look at Indiana, and they've unlocked it. I think UGA does a good job with it too, but most of the teams that advanced had at least some combo of the top tier QB/OL/DL and solid coaching. You get all 4, and you're sitting pretty.

The last piece of the puzzle is the coaching. With the ability to have unlimited coaches on the practice fields now, there is no excuse not to have the roster covered with top shelf coaches/teachers.

Amen

 

[PurlJam]

He won't leave Austin. And we can't blame him.

I've been to Austin numerous times, yes I can.

 

[Rsedge72]

1. Indiana... That was pure coaching job.. coaching them up. he had gems everywhere. 2025 Indiana Football Transfer Portal

2. You need mixture of HS and transfer portal to sustain the long term goal of constantly making to playoff. OSU, Georgia are doing that. Ole miss relied on transfer portal almost exclusively and they are doing well. So you can win big with both. methods.

3. I think Alabama needs to do what OSU and Georgia has been doing... keep developing and don't worry about losing some players to portal. OSU/Georgia are dealing with same thing, and yet they're going to be fine.

Agree with you 100%.
Indiana and cignetti did a hell of a job, will it hit like this consistently? Dunno, but I agree bama needs to follow the path they’re on.
I’m just wondering if Deboer has that “killer” instinct to finish. I’ve been looking to year 3 from the beginning.

All that being said, bama should never get thumped the way they did by UGA or IU.

 

[Bammerboy321]

I've been yo Austin numerous times, yes I can.

I haven't been since 2012. It was nice the last time I was there. Great scenery. But I've heard homelessness is bad now.

Still, get inside the mind of a young player that is being offered millions. Hard to turn down an opportunity like that and play in an offense that does a good job of getting you in space.

Just my thoughts. If he chooses Texas, I could see why. Biggest bidder + Sark's offense.