JessN: Portal update - 1/17/26

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JessN

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Because of the nature of how our comments work, I'm going to lock old threads and update with new ones every few days.

1/17 UPDATE:

QB (6): Austin Mack, Keelon Russell, Jett Thomalla, Tayden Kaawa, John Gazzaniga (WO), John Cooper (WO)
Take: No needs here.

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RB: (7): Daniel Hill, Kevin Riley, Akylin Dear, Ezavier Crowell, Traeshawn Brown, Jessie Washington (WO), Fredrick Moore (WO)
Take: No change since 1/11. Alabama is apparently still kicking the tires on several guys (including, if you believe the internet rumor machine, former Alabama RB Justice Haynes). I will repeat what I've said earlier -- if Dear has improved and Crowell and/or Brown are as good as their HS film, we don't really need to take another guy here. But it looks like we eventually will.

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WR: (9): Ryan Williams, Noah Rogers, Rico Scott, Lotzeir Brooks, Derek Meadows, Cederian Morgan, M.J. Chirgwin, Ben Jackson (WO), Cooper Mollison (WO)
Take: Alabama landed -- sort of -- a ninth receiver Jan. 17 when M.J. Chirgwin announced he would return for a final year of eligibility, this time on scholarship. Chirgwin caught 2 passes in 2025, one for a touchdown against ULM. He's always been a really well put-together athlete with some decent speed and quicks, he just needed to catch the ball with more consistency. He's not going to be a star but I thought he was on the verge of getting some snaps last year and he spent the back half of the season in the three-deep due to injuries. I do expect Alabama to add at least one more receiver. Yale receiver Nico Brown, who is about the same size as Chirgwin actually, led the nation in yards per game last year in what was a most unlikely breakout season. He played four games in three years prior to 2025 including one year that he lost completely to injury. Then in his fourth season, he set several records. At worst I think he'd back up Brooks in the slot.

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TE: (9): Danny Lewis Jr., Josh Ford, Jay Lindsey, Jack Sammarco, Kaleb Edwards, Marshall Pritchett, Mack Sutter, Peyton Fox (WO), Jaxon Shuttlesworth (WO)
Take: Comment from 1/11: "No further needs here, but I'm told we're probably taking one more guy, probably developmental." And with that, here comes Jaxon Shuttlesworth from Jacksonville State.

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OL: (22): Michael Carroll, Tyrell Miller, Kaden Strayhorn, Will Sanders, Jackson Lloyd, Ty Haywood, Nick Brooks, Racin Delgatty, Ethan Fields, Bryson Cooley, Casey Poe, Mal Waldrep, Chris Booker, Bear Fretwell, Jared Doughty, Mac Smith (WO), Billy Roby (WO), Davis Peterson (WO), Baker Hickman (WO), Wade Estess (WO), Jamison Travis (WO), J.D. Martin (WO)
Take: Good job by the coaches getting this one out of the critical range, and Alabama may yet add another developmental player. The guard-center-guard layout just two weeks ago was as thin as a nice beef carpaccio. Now Alabama has added Nick Brooks, Ethan Fields and Racin Delgatty since our last update. Two of those guys are likely to start, and now there is some real competition at center and guard. The previous addition of Ty Haywood at tackle allows for some easier breathing, too, and if Alabama adds a developmental player at tackle it might keep Bama from being required to run a true freshman in the tackle two-deep.

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DL: (19): Yhonzae Pierre, Jeremiah Beaman,Terrance Green, London Simmons, Devan Thompkins, Justin Hill, Edric Hill, Kedrick Bingley-Jones, Caleb Smith, Zay Hall, Isaia Faga, Steve Mboumoua, Fatutoa Henry, Nolan Wilson, Malique Franklin, Kamhariyan Johnson, Jamarion Matthews, Corey Howard, Lane Whisenhunt (WO)
Take: Alabama picked up one of the big prizes in the DL portal when it signed Oregon's Terrance Green. Green instantly becomes a factor at both tackle positions and if Kedrick Bingley-Jones' waiver is approved for another year -- and with Jeremiah Beaman coming back after injury -- Alabama's interior depth will actually improve over 2025 despite losing James Smith and Tim Keenan. There is still room to add depth outside, as Bandit end drops off pretty precipitously after Devan Thompkins at the moment, and getting another player at Wolf LB wouldn't hurt. Alabama is involved with South Carolina's Desmond Umeozulu, who could play either spot. That would likely wrap up Bama's DL takes.

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LB: (10): Q.B. Reese. Caleb Woodson, Cayden Jones, Abduall Sanders Jr., Darrell Johnson, Luke Metz, Xavier Griffin, Grant Johnson (WO), Jake Ivie (WO), Aiden Moore (WO)
Take: No change from last week. Woodson probably closes this one out although there's a chance we could add another guy if he's the right guy. I like our young guys here, all of them.

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DB: (24): Dijon Lee Jr., Bray Hubbard, Rydarrius Morgan, Keon Sabb, Zabien Brown, Nick Sherman, Zavier Mincey, Carmelo O'Neal, Ivan Taylor, Chuck McDonald, Jordan Edmonds, Rihyael Kelley, Dre Kirkpatrick Jr., Jireh Edwards, Zyan Gibson, Kolby Peavy (WO), London Hill (WO), Walter Sansing (WO), Conner Warhurst (WO), Ty Roper (WO), Cole Davis (WO), Brody McCutcheon (WO), Griffin Hanson (WO), Kyle Clayton (WO)
Take: O'Neal was a surprise add but you have to like the body type. Alabama also got word last week that Bray Hubbard would come back for his senior year, and also that Dre Kirkpatrick Jr. would remain on the roster. This unit should be strong again.

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ST: (8): PK Conor Talty, PK Tucker Cornelius (WO), PK Lorcan Quinn, P Adam Watford, P Alex Asparuhov, P Anderson Green (WO), LS Ethan Stangle, LS Jay Williams (WO)
Take: In the end, Alabama did indeed decide to take a kicker, Marshall's Lorcan Quinn. Quinn's resume already puts him ahead of the older Conor Talty, who now becomes a threat to enter the portal. Getting P Adam Watford from UNA is insurance against Asparuhov not being able to come back from his leg injury, and the take of LS Ethan Stangle from Syracuse was a necessity.

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Has taken already/total to take:
QB: 0/0
RB: 0/1
WR: 1/3
TE: 2/2
OL: 5/5
DL: 4/5
ILB: 1/1
DB: 1/1
ST: 3/3

TOTAL: 17/21
Roster Size Total as of 1/17: 112/105
 
Thanks Jess.

I believe saw where Justice Haynes committed to Georgia Tech. I think Christian Clark, the RB from Texas we might have had some interest in has signed with South Carolina. I think you are probably right. We may be done at RB.
 
Thanks Jess.

I believe saw where Justice Haynes committed to Georgia Tech. I think Christian Clark, the RB from Texas we might have had some interest in has signed with South Carolina. I think you are probably right. We may be done at RB.
Yeah, I just copied the RB section from the previous update and forgot to change it.
 
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Nope. He and Quinn will battle it out for the starting position. At least that is what I heard.
That's probably best...iron sharpens iron. FWIW, Talty responded when the going got tough, but I'm afraid we were like burnt children with him. He kicked some balls so pure, but he had the propensity to kick a duck hook occasionally.

Nonetheless, it's good to have him still, even if he is #2.
 
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That's probably best...iron sharpens iron. FWIW, Talty responded when the going got tough, but I'm afraid we were like burnt children with him. He kicked some balls so pure, but he had the propensity to kick a duck hook occasionally.

Nonetheless, it's good to have him still, even if he is #2.
Yeah, I admire the way he stepped up. With kicking issues being mostly mental anyway, having the added criticism that comes with those issues only compounds the problem. It couldn’t have been easy for him.
 
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That's probably best...iron sharpens iron. FWIW, Talty responded when the going got tough, but I'm afraid we were like burnt children with him. He kicked some balls so pure, but he had the propensity to kick a duck hook occasionally.

Nonetheless, it's good to have him still, even if he is #2.
Hopefully the competition will make him better.
 
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Jess, another great write up. Little concerned with the numbers in the RB room, great talent but only 5 scholarship players. Always worry about injury.
 
Nice Summary! I would like to see us sign another (good hands receiver). Has the receiver from Yale (Nico Brown) visited? He certainly has the most important attribute (Production).
 
Seems we have 86 on the roster now of which 42 are new players. I guess that means we still have some work to do to get numbers close to the 105 range.

Summer enrollment? Portal guys, clock is ticking for the championship guys.
 
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