Alabama lands commitment from transfer RB, former Tennessee player
By David Wasson
Published:
A former Alabama-bred running back is headed back to his home state, as former Tennessee and Appalachian State athlete Khalifa Keith is reportedly transferring to Alabama.
Bama 247 first reported that Keith, who prepped at Parker High School in Birmingham, transferred in on Saturday night while in Tuscaloosa for an official visit. He will have two seasons of eligibility remaining.
The 6-foot-1, 235-pound Keith began his collegiate career at Tennessee in 2023, totaling 21 yards on 10 carries and appear in 12 games in a special teams capacity. Keith rushed for 100 yards on 21 carries and a touchdown for the Vols as a redshirt freshman in 2024 before transferring to Appalachian State. Keith’s time as a Mountaineer saw him gain just 8 yards on 3 carries in 2025 and use his redshirt year.
A 3-star recruit in the 2023 class, Keith makes the sixth running back in the Alabama stable heading into 2026. Keith is the third Parker High product to earn a spot on the Crismon Tide roster, joining defensive lineman Jeremiah Beaman and defensive end Caleb Smith.
In all, Alabama added 17 players out of the transfer portal for the 2026 class, while losing 22 players. The Tide open the 2026 season Sept. 5 at home against East Carolina.
An APSE national award-winning writer and editor, David Wasson has almost four decades of experience in the print journalism business in Florida and Alabama. His work has also appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times and several national magazines and websites. He also hosts Gulfshore Sports with David Wasson, weekdays from 3-5 pm across Southwest Florida and on FoxSportsFM.com. His Twitter handle: @JustDWasson.
