An early look at the potential effects of Alabama football’s transfer additions
Three players have chosen to transfer and join the Crimson Tide thanks to Alabama football’s reach into the transfer portal: Domani Jackson, LT Overton, and Naquil Betrand.
Across college football, teams are searching for quick fixes to bolster their rosters in response to the new transfer portal regulations. Alabama is comparable because a number of players who have chosen to transfer there in recent years have had important roles in Tuscaloosa. Among this group’s top performers are Jermaine Burton, Jameson Williams, and Jahmyr Gibbs.
Saban and the rest of the team are optimistic that their recent additions will have a comparable effect, and they may.
Former five-star defensive back Jackson will try to compete in the secondary, which lost several starters in Terrion Arnold, Kool-Aid McKinstry, and Jaylen Key, as well as some important backups in Earl Little Jr., Jake Pope, and Kristian Story, to the portal. The 2023 football season saw the California native play in ten games and record 33 tackles along with three pass deflections. As a freshman, he participated in seven games as well, making him one of Alabama’s most seasoned defensive backs.
Jackson is a long and well-built defensive back who stands 6-foot-1 and weighs 190 pounds. In high school, he ran a sub-11-second 100-meter dash. He plays cornerback with a physical style and has the physical attributes required to succeed in that position. He is anticipated to challenge for one of Alabama’s two available starting cornerback spots.
Another former five-star, Overton, made the decision to move from Texas A&M to Alabama. Overton has played a significant amount of college football, just like Jackson. During his tenure with the Aggies, he appeared in 23 games as a player, making four starts. He recorded three quarterback hurries and 17 total tackles by the end of the 2023 football season.
Overton had success taking on blocks and influencing plays in which he might not have made the tackle, despite his numbers not being particularly impressive. Additionally, he demonstrated his ability to break blocks and make tackles near the line of scrimmage. Alabama will have a chance to assist the 265-pound, 6-foot-5 player in developing further as a defensive lineman.
The only defensive lineman from Alabama to declare for the NFL Draft is Justin Eboigbe, so it is anticipated that the Tide will return several key players up front in the upcoming season. To break into the Tide’s defensive line rotation, Overton will have to contend with a mix of youthful and seasoned talent.
Bertrand, a transfer from Texas A&M, joins Overton. Listed as a three-star recruit out of high school who will not see any playing time as an Aggie freshman in 2023, he is a bit of an unknown among this group. The Texas A&M football roster for 2023 lists him at 6-foot-6 and 340 pounds, adding another large player to the Tide’s offensive line.
During the 2023 recruiting cycle, Alabama signed a number of tackles, including five-star Kadyn Proctor. During spring practice, Bertrand’s potential at Alabama and its questions should be clarified.
