With the transfer portal window open through January 16, Kalen DeBoer and his staff have added 12 players since the portal opened on January 2. But the bigger story is how those moves fit into a broader roster vision. There is still work to do, particularly along the offensive and defensive lines, and Alabama remains engaged in the market. There are three athletes that are in the spotlight when it comes to the latest news in Alabama’s roster development.

The first is Yale All-American WR Nico Brown. Brown is adding Alabama to his visit schedule. This is great news, especially considering the production he put up in a run-heavy Ivy League offense.

In just 10 games, Brown caught 71 passes for 1,085 yards and 11 touchdowns. He led the nation in yards per game, posted seven 100-yard performances, and exploded for 189 yards against Harvard. With his size, ball skills, and vertical ability, Brown represents the type of high-upside addition Alabama is willing to pursue when the fit is right. The Bulldogs would not have got their 9-3 record without Brown’s production. DeBoer needs to ensure he doesn’t go anywhere else.

At the same time, Oregon DL Terrance Green is set to visit Tuscaloosa on January 16. At 6-foot-5, 330 pounds, he was a steady rotational presence for the Ducks, playing in all 15 games last season and flashing disruption against both the run and pass. Green is a former four-star recruit with two years of eligibility remaining.

And then there’s RB AK Dear officially returning for the 2026 season, who gives Alabama speed and explosiveness back in the backfield. He recorded 40 yards on just 19 carries and scored three times, including the Tide’s longest run of the season with a 56-yard burst that showed exactly what he brings. With multiple backs departing and depth thinning out, Dear is now positioned for a bigger role.

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That kind of retention underscores Alabama’s broader approach, and GM Courtney Morgan has stayed firm on its long-term vision.

Alabama bets on high school talent

A lot of players have walked out of Tuscaloosa through the transfer portal, and on the surface, it looks like a rough opening chapter to the third year of the Kalen DeBoer era. But Alabama’s front office, led by GM Courtney Morgan, has been consistent about the vision from day one. 

“Courtney Morgan told us on signing day that at Alabama, they were concerned with retention,” Morgan said. “This means, Alabama, which will still dip in the portal, is primarily focused on high school recruiting and development as opposed to building rosters out of the portal.”

Alabama is churning out elite high school football talent, and the 2027 class is setting up to be another wild recruiting ride. There is still plenty of blue-chip talent, even though it might not have the star power of the loaded 2026 cycle. At the top of the board, Hueytown DL Donivan Moore headlines the class as one of the most disruptive prospects in the country. Right behind him is Gunner Rivers, the son of NFL great Philip Rivers. Leading the Cardinals bunch this fall, he completed 208 of 290 passes for 2,813 yards, 44 touchdowns, and just five interceptions.

Meanwhile, the Tide already has a strong foothold with edge rusher JaBarrius Garror locked in, though Auburn and other SEC programs haven’t backed off entirely.

While the portal headlines may look chaotic, the Tide is doubling down on elite in-state recruiting and long-term development. But whether this approach works out in this new era is yet to be seen.