According to AL.com, citing a source, Alabama WR coach Billy Napier is leaving for Arizona State to become the team’s offensive coordinator.

Napier is a dynamic recruiter who has been at Alabama since 2013. He’s helped develop some of the Crimson Tide’s best talents in Amari Cooper and Calvin Ridley, among others.

Napier is the second assistant to leave Alabama this off-season, as tight ends and offensive tackles coach Mario Cristobal left for Oregon earlier this month.

When Lane Kiffin accepted the FAU head coaching job, several thought Napier would be a big-time candidate for the vacant offensive coordinator position, but then Steve Sarkisian was hired. Of course, the Sarkisian hire is a very good one.

How much will Alabama miss Napier? For sure, the Tide will miss his recruiting ability, and the program will also miss his ability to develop its wide receivers. But knowing Nick Saban, I’m sure he has a shortlist of candidates ready to be interviewed.

For Napier to take the next step in his career and eventually take a head coaching job, he would have to become an offensive coordinator again at some point. He previously was the offensive coordinator at Clemson in 2009 and 2010, and he should do very well at Arizona State.

The Sun Devils’ offensive coordinator role became vacant when Chip Lindsey left for Auburn; so, there’s an interesting Iron Bowl connection on this hire.

With it being so close to National Signing Day, Napier’s departure shouldn’t be that big of a deal, as Alabama already has the nation’s No. 1 recruiting class. But it’s something worth keeping an eye on.