Earlier this week, Earl Little Jr. made his way onto the NCAA transfer portal.

Earl Little Jr., a former defensive back for Alabama, announced on Instagram on Saturday night that he had committed to transfer to Florida State.

Little registers on the NCAA transfer portal this week, becoming the second player for the Tide to choose a new school. Seth McLaughlin, a center, declared earlier on Saturday that he would be attending Ohio State.

Little, a redshirt freshman who signed with Alabama as the No. 84 overall pick in the 2022 class, has played special teams and as a reserve defensive back for the previous two seasons. He said to 247 Sports during Rose Bowl media day last week that he would be ready for the spring after rupturing the labrum in his right shoulder on November 4 against LSU. He did not play.

Malachi Moore, who started at STAR for Alabama this season, had Little as a potential replacement. But Little’s 2024 role is less certain because ESPN reported on Thursday that Moore is expected to return for a fifth season.

Little was born and raised in South Florida. Her father, Earl Little, was a Miami player in the 1990s before going on to play in the NFL.

Zavier Mincey, who committed to Alabama and signed a letter of intent, became the seventh defensive back for Alabama’s 2024 freshman class. Last month, the university added former USC cornerback Domani Jackson through the transfer portal.

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FSU lands Alabama transfer defensive back Earl Little Jr.

A well-known name and a welcome inclusion.

Tallahassee is going to welcome a well-known name.

Although FSU put up a strong fight, it came in second place in Earl Little Jr.’s high school recruiting class after he chose the Crimson Tide two years prior. Little, a defensive back who weighs 185 pounds and stands 6 feet 1 inch, declared today that he will be attending Florida State.

Because of Alabama’s depth in the wide receiver position, he mostly played on special teams. He suffered a torn labrum in his right shoulder against LSU on November 4 and did not return to action this season. After undergoing surgery, he previously told the media that he anticipated being ready for spring. Little was regarded as Alabama’s potential starter at the STAR position the following season.

Little is a redshirt freshman with three years left on his eligibility. He can play cornerback, safety, or nickel, and he’s a talented addition to the defensive backfield. Little’s announcement that he would be transferring was met with a lot of positive feedback, including the fact that FSU is now a much stronger program, that his best friend Marvin Jones Jr. had committed to play for the Seminoles, and that his old high school coach Patrick Surtain was now the DB coach.

The coaching staff accomplished their goal today, so for those of us who have been dying to see Little Jr. in garnet and gold, we will get our wish come 2024.

From his Bama bio:

2023

Adding depth to the Tide’s deep defensive back group and having an impact on special teams… finished with two tackles in eight games played.Middle Tennessee: Against the Blue Raiders, recorded two tackles.Texas: Participated in the top-15 match by working on special teams and defense.USF: Lost to the Bulls in overtime.Ole Miss: In the SEC debut, earned defensive and special teams snaps.Mississippi State: Participated in Starkville’s special teams operations.Texas A&M: Did not perform well on the field.Arkansas: Participated in the Homecoming game on special teams.Tennessee: Accrued special team snaps.LSU: Against the Tigers, saw time on special teams.

2022

worked in three games in his rookie season after missing the first half of the season due to injury.Saw his first game action for the Tide in his career at Mississippi State.Austin Peay: Against the Governors, he played on special teams.Auburn: Accrued playing time in the Iron Bowl.

Personal Information and High School

A consensus four-star prospect by all major recruiting sites, ranked as the No. 38 overall recruit in the On300 rankings by On3, ranked as the No. 83 prospect and No. 12 cornerback in the nation by 247Sports, and ranked as the No. 12 player from Florida by 247, as well as the No. 15 player from the state by Rivals.com, the 81st-rated player on the Rivals100 and No. 9 cornerback nationally by Rivals, is one of the top defensive back prospects emerging from the talent-rich state of Florida.
the 84th recruit in the On3 Consensus rankings; ranked as the 105th player in the nation and the 12th cornerback on the 247Composite; ranked 24th in the cornerback rankings on ESPN.com; selected for the All-American Bowl in San Antonio, Texas; coached by Patrick Surtain Sr. at American Heritage High School; son of former NFL player Earl Little; chose Alabama over 30 offers, including in-state schools Florida State, Miami, and LSU.