After losing their top three linebackers from last season, Kalen DeBoer and his staff had their eyes on a homegrown talent who just wrapped up a dominant year in the SEC. The Montgomery native led the entire conference in tackles during the 2025 season and seemed like a perfect fit for the Crimson Tide’s defensive needs. That player was TJ Dottery, a redshirt junior who’d been tearing up opposing offenses for Ole Miss the past two years.​

But Kalen DeBoer won’t be getting his man. Dottery committed to LSU on Friday night, choosing to reunite with his former head coach. Deboer The decision came swiftly after Dottery entered the transfer portal earlier this week and took a visit to Baton Rouge from January 15-16. Lane Kiffin’s Tigers landed one of the portal’s top linebackers, adding a proven tackling machine who racked up 98 total tackles in 2025 to lead the SEC. For Alabama, it’s another miss in a transfer portal cycle where they’ve desperately needed to rebuild their linebacker depth.​

Dottery’s production over the past two seasons at Ole Miss has been nothing short of exceptional. The 6’1″, 225-pound linebacker totaled 174 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, and three forced fumbles during his time with the Rebels. In 2025 alone, he posted 48 solo tackles to lead Ole Miss in that category as well. He had four games where he recorded nine or more tackles, including a standout performance in the Rebels’ regular-season loss to Georgia. His consistency as a tackling machine made him a cornerstone of Ole Miss’s defense during their historic playoff run this past season.​

What makes TJ Dottery’s story particularly interesting is the winding path he took to get here. The linebacker originally signed with Clemson in 2022 but transferred to Ole Miss after just one redshirt season. During his time between programs, Dottery changed his last name from Dudley to Dottery, taking his father’s surname, which some speculated was an effort to get a fresh start after some accusations from Clemson players. 

His departure from Ole Miss this winter came amid reported locker room turmoil after NIL contract details allegedly leaked within the program. It created resentment among players who discovered disparities in what teammates were earning. The situation became messy enough that multiple Ole Miss players entered the portal in the aftermath.​

The Alabama connection that never materialized

Dottery always had Tide ties. Growing up in Montgomery, he starred at Montgomery Catholic Preparatory, where he was an all-state selection honoree and helped lead his team’s defense to allowing just 43 points in 14 games during his senior year. Alabama came calling early, offering him back in 2020 when Charles Kelly was on staff as an assistant coach. The moment clearly meant something to the hometown kid. 

“It was such an amazing feeling for my family and me. This one just feels different. It is something that every kid who grows up in the state of Alabama dreams of,” Dottery said about receiving his Alabama offer. But dreams don’t always pan out the way you expect them to.​ Despite Alabama’s pursuit, Dottery ended up signing with Clemson in 2022, choosing Dabo Swinney’s program over the Tide largely because of the relationship he’d built with the Tigers’ coaching staff. “Coming into my sophomore year, we built a great relationship and continued that throughout my high school years,” Dottery explained about his bond with Swinney. 

When Golding moved to Ole Miss, Dottery was reunited with his former coach. Now he’s reuniting with Lane Kiffin, his former head coach at Ole Miss, who just took over at LSU. For Kalen DeBoer and Alabama, watching a homegrown talent with this kind of production slip away twice has to sting, especially when they’re staring at a linebacker room that desperately needs veteran depth.​

Top Stories

Illegal Fight Sparks Chaos at Chili Bowl Nationals Leaving Team Member Struggling to Breathe

Caleb Williams Puts Locker Room on Notice After Rams Publicly Announce Bears QB’s Weakness

“Scary”: Heavyweight Andy Ruiz Jr. Cracks Streamer’s Jaw in Sparring and Boxing World Shows No Mercy

Andy Reid Announces Double Firing Decision as Patrick Mahomes Outlines Ideal Chiefs OC

Eagles Issue Statement on Lane Johnson’s Retirement Decision After Announcing Update on $96M Star’s Future

Russell Wilson Announces New Citizenship Plans Away From America as Giants QB Makes Career Decision