Kalen DeBoer faced yet another test as Alabama’s head coach when the transfer portal opened after a disappointing Rose Bowl loss to Indiana ended the Crimson Tide’s 2025 season. The Crimson Tide ultimately landed 16 transfers, transforming what looked like a recruiting disaster into a roster overhaul that has Alabama positioned to compete for championships in 2026. Here are the five most impactful transfer portal acquisitions that will define Kalen DeBoer’s second season in Tuscaloosa.​

DL Devan Thompkins

Alabama’s defensive line took a massive hit when both Tim Keenan III and LT Overton left for the NFL Draft. Fellow starter James Smith entered the transfer portal, creating an urgent need for proven edge rushers. Enter Devan Thompkins, the USC transfer who committed to Alabama on January 6 after visiting Tuscaloosa and canceling scheduled trips to Auburn, Clemson, Georgia, and Ohio State. The 6-foot-5, 285-pound defensive lineman is ranked as the No. 3 defensive lineman in the entire transfer portal and brings immediate production after a breakout 2025 season with the Trojans. Thompkins posted career highs with 31 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, and three sacks while starting all 12 games for USC, capping a four-year career in Los Angeles with 56 total tackles, nine TFL, 4.5 sacks, and five pass deflections. He’s developed into a four-star transfer prospect who brings in one year of eligibility to Tuscaloosa. 

DL Terrance Green

Just days after landing Thompkins, Alabama secured another massive addition to its defensive front when Oregon transfer Terrance Green committed on January 17. It gave the Crimson Tide the No. 4-ranked defensive lineman in the portal. The 6-foot-5, 330-pound mammoth brings two years of remaining eligibility and addresses Alabama’s desperate need for interior defensive line depth after the departures of Keenan and Smith.

In the 2025 season, Green played 269 snaps and recorded 15 tackles, one tackle-for-loss, and a pass deflection. Alabama needed another big body to rotate alongside returners London Simmons and Edric Hill. And Green provides exactly that. Kalen DeBoer’s decision to add both Thompkins and Green shows how seriously Alabama took rebuilding a defensive line that underperformed for much of 2025.​

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OL Ty Haywood

Sometimes players take the scenic route to their destination. And that’s exactly what happened with Ty Haywood. The 6-foot-5, 316-pound offensive tackle from Denton, Texas, committed to Alabama on July 14, 2024. He then decommitted on January 13, 2025, and signed with the Wolverines on February 5, 2025. After playing just three games and logging 15 snaps as a true freshman at Michigan, Haywood entered the portal and committed to Alabama on Monday, January 13, 2026. He was a four-star recruit in the 2025 class, ranked as the No. 39 player overall and No. 6 offensive tackle nationally. Haywood brings three years of eligibility and high-ceiling talent that Alabama can develop into a future All-SEC performer.

WR Noah Rogers

Alabama’s receiving corps took a hit when several contributors departed, leaving Ryan Williams and Lotzeir Brooks as the only proven options heading into 2026. Kalen DeBoer addressed that need by landing former NC State wide receiver Noah Rogers, who committed to the Crimson Tide on January 12.  The 6-foot-2, 205-pound receiver brings two years of eligibility and significant production from his two seasons with the Wolfpack. He totaled 68 catches for 919 receiving yards and three touchdowns in his time with the Wolfpack. Rogers was a consistent contributor in 2025, playing a career-high 532 snaps and posting 33 receptions for 441 yards and two touchdowns across all 13 games. With Alabama now carrying six scholarship receivers (Rogers, Williams, Brooks, Morgan, Meadows, and Rico Scott), DeBoer has the depth necessary to withstand injuries and keep defenses guessing.​

OL Nick Brooks

Alabama’s offensive line rebuild hit another gear when former Texas offensive lineman Nick Brooks committed on Friday night, January 17, during his visit to Tuscaloosa. The 6-foot-7, 349-pound monster brings three years of eligibility. Brooks was once committed to Iowa before taking official visits to Texas, Georgia, and USC. But he ultimately signed with the Longhorns. As a true freshman in 2025, Brooks started three games. All of them were against SEC opponents: Oklahoma, Kentucky, and Mississippi State. He also appeared against Florida and Sam Houston. He played 225 total snaps while primarily lining up at left guard despite coming into Texas as a tackle prospect. With his combination of size and SEC experience, Brooks gives Alabama another versatile lineman who can play both tackle and guard.