After losing a handful of O-linemen to the portal, Alabama aimed to strengthen its line of scrimmage. While the Tide landed multiple inexperienced OLs through the portal, they now found their first experienced veteran, who could be a plug-and-play starter for their 2026 season.

According to On3’s Hayes Fawcett report, Alabama officially landed a commitment from Mississippi State’s transfer left tackle Jayvin James. The 6-foot-5, 320-pound player has started 21 games in his career and still has two years of eligibility remaining. The commitment move came just minutes after On3’s Pete Nakos reported Alabama as the early school to watch out for.

He started 12 games for Mississippi State this past season, allowing just three sacks and six penalties on 856 snaps. He played as a left tackle in nine games for 691 snaps and the rest as the right tackle. Before arriving at SEC, James played 12 games for Akron, starting nine. He was part of 479 offensive snaps that year, allowing just 4 sacks and 11 quarterback pressures as part of a solid defensive unit.

James joins as the sixth transfer O-lineman this fall for the Crimson Tide, joining a talented group including center Racin Delgatty, guard Ethan Fields, and tackles Kaden Strayhorn, Ty Haywood, and Nick Brooks. This diverse group enhances the team’s skills and excitement.

Among them, Racin Delgatty and Ethan Fields had some playing experience. Likewise, Delgatty was named second-team all-conference center in 2025, while Fields played 19 games over three seasons, 15 of them this past season with the Rebels.

Alongside them, Kalen DeBoer’s offensive line will include Michael Carroll, William Sanders, Casey Poe, Mal Waldrep, Jackson Lloyd, as well as newcomers Bryson Cooley, Chris Booker, Bear Fretwell, Jared Doughty, and JUCO transfer Tyrell Miller. Among them, Carroll is the only returning Alabama offensive lineman with starting experience.

With Jayven’s addition, they would now have two guaranteed experienced starters in the offensive line for their 2026 season. It is reported that UL Monroe’s Que McBroom and Bucknell’s Dara Adeyemi were also targeted for the OL position.

While Kalen DeBoer looks to strengthen the line of scrimmage, Alabama has yet to address the wide receiver situation.

Kalen DeBoer lacks depth in the receivers’ room

While Alabama closed the portal, winning multiple members on the offensive line, the WR position remains unsettled. Among the 21 players leaving the Alabama locker room, five of them were receivers, including the four-star recruits Isaiah Horton and Jaylen Mbakwe, and Cole Adams, Jalen Hale, and Aeryn Hampton.

Besides that, Germie Bernard, the Tide’s leading receiver, exhausted his eligibility, leaving the program in desperate need of a starting wide receiver.

Although Kalen DeBoer added North Carolina’s five-star recruit Noah Rogers, who brings size and experience, and the room totals more than 900 receiving yards and three touchdowns, the lack of depth still looks concerning.

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Alabama now projects six scholarship WRs for 2026, including Ryan Williams, Brooks, Rico Scott, Derek Meadows, true freshman Cederian Morgan, and Rogers.

Reports indicate that DeBoer is also considering Nico Brown from Yale for the wide receivers group, but nothing has been officially confirmed, leaving Bama’s WR position very thin.