TE CJ Dippre to Transfer to Alabama from Maryland amid Ohio State Interest

Former Maryland tight end CJ Dippre announced Tuesday he's transferring to Alabama.

The Crimson Tide were one of two finalists along with Ohio State.

Dippre spoke highly of Alabama when the school offered him a scholarship, telling BamaOnLine's Hank South it "means more than I can speak about."

"I feel like I was under-recruited out of high school, and to see how two years of production gave me a chance at one of the best college football teams in the country (is special)," he said.

Dippre's numbers at Maryland don't jump off the page. He was used sparingly as a freshman, hauling in three passes for 25 yards, before his role increased in 2022. This season, he had 30 receptions for 314 yards and three touchdowns.

That Alabama and Ohio State both had the both had the 6'5", 260-pound Pennsylvania native on their radar nevertheless speaks to the former 3-star recruit.

In Dippre, the Tide get a potential ready-made replacement for the graduating Cameron Latu, who had 25 receptions for 323 yards and three touchdowns in the regular season.

Alabama sits first in 247Sports' composite team rankings for the 2023 recruiting class. Ty Lockwood, the 13th-best tight end in the country and a 4-star recruit, is part of that group.

Head coach Nick Saban has lamented the evolution of college football in the era of the transfer portal and name, image and likeness legislation. But that hasn't stopped him and his staff from adapting to the times to maintain the program's status.

This cycle, the Tide have seen far more outgoing transfers than incoming. Dippre represents their first addition, and he probably won't be their last.