{"id":1183818,"date":"2026-01-09T12:19:11","date_gmt":"2026-01-09T18:19:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wnsp.com\/wordpress\/?p=1183818"},"modified":"2026-01-13T13:55:50","modified_gmt":"2026-01-13T19:55:50","slug":"alabama-has-landed-five-players-from-transfer-portal-so-far","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wnsp.com\/wordpress\/alabama-has-landed-five-players-from-transfer-portal-so-far\/","title":{"rendered":"Alabama Has Landed Five Players from Transfer Portal So Far"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The Crimson Tide had a roller coaster of a season that ended in a disappointing fashion \u2014 an embarrassing\u00a0blowout at the hands of the Indiana Hoosiers\u00a0at the\u00a0Rose Bowl. With recent transfer portal buzz, it\u2019s looking like Kalen DeBoer is going to have quite a different team next season.<\/p>\n<p>The Tide has seen a number of players enter the transfer portal, which definitely raises some alarms for people, but DeBoer has already landed five transfers of his own \u2014 with more certainly to follow.<\/p>\n<p>The first transfer Alabama landed happened when they signed Oklahoma State tight end Josh Ford, who will potentially have a chance to step right in with Josh Cuevas headed to the NFL.<\/p>\n<div class=\"embed-twitter\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">BREAKING: Oklahoma State transfer TE Josh Ford has signed with Alabama, <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/PeteNakos?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@PeteNakos<\/a> reports\ud83d\udc18<a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/nyjmPH070Q\">https:\/\/t.co\/nyjmPH070Q<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/XWT0aaG2pi\">pic.twitter.com\/XWT0aaG2pi<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Transfer Portal (@TransferPortal) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/TransferPortal\/status\/2000963334418677881?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">December 16, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Beyond Ford, DeBoer has gotten busy quickly as the season has come to an end. First, he landed linebacker Caleb Woodson out of Virginia Tech to fill another hole.<\/p>\n<div class=\"embed-twitter\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">\ud835\uddd5\ud835\udde5\ud835\uddd8\ud835\uddd4\ud835\uddde\ud835\udddc\ud835\udde1\ud835\uddda: Virginia Tech transfer LB Caleb Woodson has COMMITTED to Alabama! \ud83d\udc18<\/p>\n<p>The 6\u20193 230 LB had 151 total tackles, 2 sacks, 1 interception, and 3 pass deflections in three years with the Hokies<\/p>\n<p>Woodson is ranked No. 332 Nationally and is the No. 23 LB in the Transfer\u2026 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/m8N3bSFK7Y\">pic.twitter.com\/m8N3bSFK7Y<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Recruits Bama (@RecruitsBama) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/RecruitsBama\/status\/2008667500544922094?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">January 6, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Woodson was joined on defense by USC defensive lineman Devan Thompkins, who committed to Alabama this week as one of the top rated defenders in the portal overall.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-twitter\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">BREAKING: USC standout transfer DL Devan Thompkins has Committed to Alabama, he tells <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/On3sports?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@On3Sports<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Through 2 seasons he\u2019s totaled 55 Tackles, 4.5 Sacks, 9 TFL, 1 FF, and 5 PD<\/p>\n<p>He\u2019s a Top 3 DL in the Portal (per On3 Industry)<a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/RlUbB6EMhS\">https:\/\/t.co\/RlUbB6EMhS<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/EgSZSPIGaX\">pic.twitter.com\/EgSZSPIGaX<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Hayesfawcett3\/status\/2008950548410626166?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">January 7, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Thompkins and Woodson should help immediately on defense, but it was the additions to the running game, including Ford \u2014 who will likely be used as a blocker \u2014 which could make the biggest difference.<\/p>\n<p>North Carolina State running back Hollywood Smothers committed and could instantly become the top back on the team next year, and he was joined by Michigan interior offensive lineman Kaden Strayhorn, who also could start right away.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">BREAKING: Michigan true freshman transfer OL Kaden Strayhorn has Committed to Alabama, he tells <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/On3sports?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@On3Sports<\/a><\/p>\n<p>The 6\u20193 318 OL will have 4 years of eligibility left<\/p>\n<p>\u201cRight back where It started, only better Philippians 4:13\u201d<a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/RlUbB6Fk7q\">https:\/\/t.co\/RlUbB6Fk7q<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/N6OSGXJhoj\">pic.twitter.com\/N6OSGXJhoj<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Hayesfawcett3\/status\/2008694607174041898?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">January 7, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">BREAKING: NC State standout transfer RB Hollywood Smothers has Committed to Alabama, he tells <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/On3sports?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@On3Sports<\/a><\/p>\n<p>This season he totaled 1,128 yards and 7 TDs<\/p>\n<p>Smothers, who\u2019s repped by <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/bnm_nil?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@bnm_nil<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/lawyerboycle?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@lawyerboycle<\/a>, is one of the Top Players in the Portal<a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/RlUbB6EMhS\">https:\/\/t.co\/RlUbB6EMhS<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/B2u9chYnCy\">pic.twitter.com\/B2u9chYnCy<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Hayesfawcett3\/status\/2008340570767294552?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">January 6, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Alabama is still pursuing a significant amount of talent, including some of the top players available, such as former Auburn receiver Cam Coleman and Smothers\u2019 NC State teammate, left tackle Jacarrius Peak.<\/p>\n<p>Clearly, DeBoer and the staff are not satisfied with the way things ended this year and are doing whatever it takes to fix it.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"mh-excerpt\"><p>The Crimson Tide had a roller coaster of a season that ended in a disappointing fashion \u2014 an embarrassing\u00a0blowout at the hands of the Indiana <a class=\"mh-excerpt-more\" href=\"https:\/\/wnsp.com\/wordpress\/alabama-has-landed-five-players-from-transfer-portal-so-far\/\" title=\"Alabama Has Landed Five Players from Transfer Portal So Far\">[&#8230;]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":4874,"featured_media":1078823,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[8,91],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-1183818","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-crimson-tide-bama-tide","8":"category-alabama"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/wnsp.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/ehd230930001083_bama_at_msst.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wnsp.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1183818","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wnsp.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wnsp.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wnsp.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4874"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wnsp.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1183818"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/wnsp.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1183818\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1183825,"href":"https:\/\/wnsp.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1183818\/revisions\/1183825"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wnsp.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1078823"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wnsp.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1183818"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wnsp.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1183818"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wnsp.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1183818"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}