Former Alabama linemen James Smith, Qua Russaw commit to Big Ten program
By Jacob Moss
Published:
The transfer portal has been absolutely on fire since it officially opened back on January 2nd, and the Alabama Crimson Tide have seen a fair amount of turnover following their CFP exit in the Rose Bowl.
Head coach Kalen DeBoer has been hard at work bringing on new faces to fill in some of the emerging gaps on his roster, but he’s also had to contend with the departure of several significant pieces from last year’s squad as well.
Defensive linemen James Smith and Qua Russaw were 2 of the biggest names to hit the portal from Alabama, and they will both be suiting up for the Ohio State Buckeyes in 2026, according to On3’s Hayes Fawcett.
Both were highly-recruited 5-star players coming out of high school in the 2023 cycle, and they both signed with the Crimson Tide as part of former head coach Nick Saban‘s final recruiting class in Tuscaloosa.
Russaw and Smith emerged as key impact players on defense up front over the past couple of seasons with the Tide, with Smith in particular becoming a vital cog in the middle in 2025 under defensive coordinator Kane Wommack.
It was a massive blow for the Tide when the pair entered the portal at the same time, and they will remain teammates under Ryan Day as they make the trek up north to join the Buckeyes in 2026.
