Kalen DeBoer’s got a lot on his plate right now. We’re talking playoff snubs, a four-loss season, and NIL drama swirling around Tuscaloosa. And if that wasn’t enough, the transfer portal is in full swing. Word on the street is that 19 players have already hit the exits, including some big names like safety King Mack and edge rusher Jayshawn Ross. Looks like another defensive star is jumping ship from Alabama. This redshirt sophomore, a 5-star recruit who bounced around between inside linebacker, outside linebacker, and edge rusher during his three seasons in Tuscaloosa, has officially entered the transfer portal. And get this, four SEC rivals are already circling like vultures.

Alright, the 5-star Bama transfer we’re talking about is Jeremiah Alexander. In his time at Bama, he racked up 28 appearances and 9 tackles. He saw limited action this season, playing in just four games as a reserve linebacker after missing the first three due to injury. Now, according to Hayes Fawcett’s X post on ON3, “Alabama transfer EDGE Jeremiah Alexander is wrapping up his visit to Auburn & has other visits lined up, he tells @on3.” So, his Auburn trip is over, and he’s got more schools on his radar.

Things are heating up for this former 5-star Clemson target. He’s next on Clemson’s list of transfer portal prospects. They’ve already snagged a couple of guys this off-season, and now Alexander is all set to visit Clemson on Tuesday. But hold on, because the drama doesn’t stop there! He’s also planning visits to Ole Miss and Oklahoma. It’s been an hour since Alexander entered the transfer portal, and now we hear about these 4 SEC rivals. A different situation would arise if one of these four SEC rivals were able to grab this 5-star Alabama star. Whoever can land him, though, would undoubtedly benefit. And why not?

According to On3, Alexander was the 1st ranked EDGE in the 2022 class, the top player in the state, and the 15th overall recruit. This offseason, the expectation is that Alexander will follow stalwarts Deontae Lawson and Jihaad Campbell to the NFL. He might not have seen the field much, but Jeremiah Alexander was a highly-touted prospect expected to be a key player on Alabama’s defense. With limited playing time this season, it looked like he was poised for a breakout year in 2025.

Now, with Alexander heading to the transfer portal, things just got a little more interesting for Coach DeBoer. Losing a talented player like that definitely throws a wrench in his plans for the upcoming season. How will he adjust his defensive strategy? Will he look to the transfer portal to fill the void?

Alabama’s current look: Without Jeremiah Alexander

Alexander was a member of the 2022 recruiting class when he joined Alabama under Nick Saban. He arrived from Thompson as a five-star prospect and was regarded as the top player in the state of Alabama by the 247Sports consensus. He played primarily on special teams throughout his first three years with the Crimson Tide.

As of now, Alexander joins Jeheim Oatis, Keanu Koht, Hunter Osborne, Damon Payne Jr., and Jayshawn Ross as the sixth pass rusher to reach the gateway. After QB Dylan Lonergan, CB Jahlil Hurley, RB Justice Haynes, DL Jeheim Oatis, and the other 14 players, Alexander is the 19th player to access the transfer portal.

It’s safe to assume that Alabama’s 2025 roster is full of talented players despite the large number of transfers. Nevertheless, Alabama signed linebackers Nikhai Hill-Green and DL Kelby Collins. Along with defensive lineman Steve Mboumoua and London Simmons, the Bama also signed defenders Darrell Johnson, Luke Metz, and Abduall Sanders, as well as edges Justin Hill and Kevonte Henry.

Okay, so Alabama’s reign at the top of the SEC might not be as ironclad as it used to be. Now, the question is: Which school will land Jeremiah Alexander? Clemson, Ole Miss, Auburn, and Oklahoma are all in the mix. It’s a four-horse race to see who can snag this talented transfer.