Alabama exits Kalen DeBoer’s first spring with two open scholarships to work with in the transfer portal. That number could rise if other players decide to leave the program now that the spring window is open, but the Crimson Tide will need to be selective with who they target to fill out this roster.

It’s a young one for DeBoer, but still brimming with potential. And the first-year Bama coach thinks he has a championship roster as is. Or, at the least, a roster that expects to compete for one.

“You come here, and there’s gonna come a point in time where there’s a lot of pressure going into a week or going in even into a moment of a game. And, you know, the thing I’m always gonna remind the guys of is, ‘This is why you came here.’ And that’s why I came here, too, you know, is to be a part of that — having those expectations,” DeBoer said this week on The Next Round. “That’s what it’s been and that’s what it needs to be. You try to do everything you can each and every day to make that happen to live up to that. That’s certainly our goal.”

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And that mentality certainly has to be considered when going out into the portal. DeBoer mentioned offensive line and defensive back as 2 position groups that will be considered. Neither are surprising given where Alabama is at after the spring.

“You’re just looking for the right guys and the right fit. I want to be really sensitive to the culture of our team,” he said on the podcast. “It’s not necessarily about the talent. You’re always looking for top talent, but it’s about sheer numbers to practice and be able to get the competition that you need out there. A lot of defensive backs are involved in special teams, too.”

Parker Brailsford is a name worth mentioning on the offensive line. He was a key transfer addition during the winter window as an interior lineman who could play either center or guard. He started at both spots throughout Washington’s run to the College Football Playoff National Championship game last season and was expected to compete for the starting center job at Alabama. But he missed a large chunk of spring with what DeBoer called “non-football-related things.” He is expected back, and that’ll give Alabama a boost.

“He’s going through workouts. He’s been working out with our strength staff. He’s back. He never left us. He’s just back with us. I know he wasn’t practicing. But, he’ll be full-go (in) workouts this summer,” DeBoer said. “It wasn’t ever really about wanting to leave or go somewhere. He was just working through some things specific to him. It was not anything where he ever got in trouble. It’s nothing like that. He’s a great young man, a great football player.”

Alabama has already been linked to Iowa transfer Kadyn Proctor, who was at A-Day as a spectator. Adding him back into the fold would certainly solidify the tackle situation.

At defensive back, Alabama has both a number issue and an experience issue.

Not so much at safety as at corner, where USC transfer Domani Jackson is the only scholarship player older than a freshman. DeBoer said he was encouraged by what he saw from the secondary in the spring, but added, “You’d love to have some guys that can continue to come up through the program and develop.”

So who does Alabama target in the portal?

Proctor is the obvious top-of-the-board name to know. A former 5-star prospect out of the 2023 recruiting class, Proctor spurned Iowa for Alabama and immediately became a crucial piece of the offense. He started 14 games at left tackle in what was an up-and-down season. But the promise was always there. The 6-foot-7 bruiser transferred to Iowa in the winter and left before spring began. Last fall, he posted a 66.3 overall offensive grade with Pro Football Focus. That ranked 13th among qualified SEC tackles.

There are some intriguing interior linemen already in the portal, but Alabama doesn’t seem to have ties to either at this point in time. SMU transfer center Branson Hickman would provide some versatility and some insurance on the Brailsford front, but he is visiting Oklahoma over the weekend and said to be considering the Sooners and TCU.

USC transfer Jason Zandamela was the top-ranked interior lineman in the 2024 class, but DeBoer didn’t offer him as a recruit and Zandamela looks like he’s headed back to the Sunshine State. Former Florida signee David Conner is back in the portal after not playing in a game for Colorado last season, but how much would his addition move the needle?

Perhaps there’s another player from the Buffaloes’ transfer exodus that could benefit the Tide.

If DeBoer was looking to add a scheme-versatile defensive back with experience, Colorado transfer Myles Slusher could be of interest.

The 6-foot, 195-pound safety spent 3 years at Arkansas and then the 2023 season at Colorado. He made 23 appearances with 15 starts and posted 93 total tackles as a Razorback. He started at nickel for Colorado in the opener but was limited to 3 games the rest of the way by injuries. Alabama has a trio it feels good about at safety with Malachi Moore, Keon Sabb, and DeVonta Smith, but Slusher would be a depth add to feel good about.

Florida State transfer defensive back Greedy Vance Jr. would be the top name on the board when it comes to defensive backs, though. He is reportedly visiting USC and then Kentucky at the end of the month. He told On3 he got an offer from Alabama right away.

He played in all 14 games for FSU last season, starting 5 times. For his career (2 seasons at Louisville to start), he has played in 44 games with 14 starts. Vance played primarily at corner for Louisville and then spent most of his time with the Seminoles as a nickel.

With a cornerback addition, DeBoer will have to thread the needle between helping the room now and not hurting it in the future. Jahlil Hurley was a top-50 recruit in the 2023 cycle. Jaylen Mbakwe, Zabien Brown, and Zay Mincey were all 5-stars in the 2024 class. Those guys are the future. DeBoer needs someone to bridge the gap. Vance might be the best option on the board to do so.

A wild card to keep in mind is Arizona State transfer receiver Elijhah Badger. He hit the portal on Friday and Alabama is said to have interest. Germie Bernard looked promising throughout the spring, but DeBoer would be wise to take a swing at Badger.

Badger posted 713 yards and 3 touchdowns last year in an ASU pass game that saw a revolving door at the quarterback position. Badger was the constant, hauling in 65 receptions on 99 targets. He had a near-27% share of the offense’s receptions. In 2022, he brought in 866 yards and 7 scores.

He’s a 6-foot-2 receiver who can play in the slot but dominates on the outside. He would pair nicely with the players Alabama can put in the slot.

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