Alabama freshman DL Antonio Alfano enters NCAA transfer portal
Alabama freshman defensive lineman
Antonio Alfano has entered the NCAA transfer portal.
The former 5-star recruit was officially listed in the transfer portal on Wednesday evening, 247Sports has confirmed. Alfano was removed from the Crimson Tideās roster earlier Wednesday.
Alfano had been
āgoing through some discipline things withā head coach Nick Saban in early September. He also missed three of the Tideās preseason camp practices
āfor personal reasons.ā But after
his parents put out a statement on Twitter, Saban shared his most revealing update yet.
āI just know that the guy basically quit,ā
Saban said in September. āHe quit going to class, he quit coming here. We tried to encourage him, we tried to help him. We had tried to set up counseling sessions with him to help him every way we could. And all those things are still available to him if he wants them, but he didnāt respond to any of the things, so until he responds, you just have to assume the guy quit.ā
Alfano was the Crimson Tideās highest-rated recruit in its 2019 No. 1-ranked class as 247Sportsā No. 1 overall prospect. Alfano earned first-team all-state honors at Colonia (N.J.) High School after a senior season that saw him record 76 tackles, including 28 tackles for loss, 10 sacks, 10 quarterback hurries and six forced fumbles. He also saw time as an offensive lineman.
Alfano enrolled early at Alabama in January, and the 6-foot-4, 285-pound lineman recorded two sacks in Aprilās spring game. But he has not played in any game this season.
Established in October of last year, the NCAAās transfer portal now allows collegiate student-athletes to merely enter their name into an online database and wait for collegiate teams to contact them. It is also worth noting that players can withdraw their name from the portal, too.
CLICK HERE FOR 247SPORTS' LIVE TRANSFER PORTAL FEED
Alabama has lost eight scholarship players to transfers this year in Alfano, linebacker Eyabi Anoma (Houston), quarterbacks Jalen Hurts (Oklahoma) and Layne Hatcher (Arkansas State), tight end Kedrick James (SMU), offensive lineman Richie Petitbon (Illinois), defensive back Kyriq McDonald (Cincinnati) and long snapper Scott Meyer (Vanderbilt).
Alfanoās departure from the Crimson Tide program is the first from the 2019 class.