Projecting Who's Staying and Who's Leaving from Alabama After Bowl Game

The good news for Alabama is the program returned to the College Football Playoff in 2025 after narrowly missing the field last season.

The bad news, however, is there's no addition to the trophy case.

After a rather fortuitous inclusion to the CFP, Alabama clipped Oklahoma on the road but lost 38-3 to Indiana in the Rose Bowl.

Despite that frustrating result, an 11-win record with a trip to the SEC Championship Game—ill-fated though it was—and a Playoff victory is far, far from a disastrous year in Tuscaloosa.

Bama is now shifting to offseason mode, aiming to bulk up a talented roster that needs to replace quite a few significant pieces.

Who's Staying

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Kalen DeBoer

Head Coach Kalen DeBoer

Over the last month or so, rumors connected Kalen DeBoer to vacancies at Penn State and Michigan. However, the second-year coach publicly refuted those whispers and said he would return to Tuscaloosa in 2026.

Young Offensive Pieces

The headliner should be Ryan Williams, an immensely gifted wide receiver who dealt with serious drop problems in 2025. Beyond him, the Crimson Tide are also set to return right guard Wilkin Formby and right tackle Michael Carroll with William Sanders penciled into a starting job at left guard.

Majority of the Secondary

Domani Jackson and DaShawn Jones are out of eligibility, but everyone else in the defensive backfield can stick around. Bama can expect to have Zabien Brown and Dijon Lee Jr. at corner with nickelback Red Morgan. The main question is whether either or both Keon Sabb and Bray Hubbard may leave for the NFL. I'll project Sabb to stay in hopes of bolstering his draft profile for 2027.

Who's Leaving

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LT Overton

Key Offensive Leaders

Starting with quarterback Ty Simpson, the Tide are destined for some important departures. Left tackle Kadyn Proctor is also a potential first-round pick, and wideout Germie Bernard has definite Day 2 potential in the draft. All-SEC center Parker Brailsford can return but doesn't have much to prove at this level.

Top Playmakers on Defense

Glance at the unit's top tacklers, and several voids are opening. Gone are linebackers Deontae Lawson, Justin Jefferson and Nikhai Hill-Green, who combined for more than 200 tackles. Pass-rusher LT Overton and Jackson have exhausted their eligibility, and Hubbard is a pro-caliber player. Add in stout lineman Tim Keenan III, and Bama is set to revamp its defense.

Transfers, Inevitably

The portal is set to formally open on Jan. 2, and numerous Bama players will pursue a different option. Last year, the Crimson Tide had 25 entries. The hope, of course, is avoiding a string of departures that creates a depth concern.

Who's on the Way

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Josh Ford

Incoming Transfers

Departures sting, but the portal works both ways. Alabama is certainly an attractive destination for transfers, and this offseason's inbound list started with Oklahoma State tight end Josh Ford. The staff will undoubtedly be looking to add a few high-impact contributors for the 2026 team.

5-Star Additions

Ho-hum, the Crimson Tide picked up four 5-star prospects in the 2026 cycle. In-state running back Ezavier Crowell (14th nationally) is the highest-rated player with edge-rusher Xavier Griffin (17th), cornerback Jorden Edmonds (25th) and safety Jireh Edwards (32nd) not far behind.

Another Stacked Recruiting Class

Again, nothing new. Bama has secured the No. 2 class in the country, inking a total of 14 blue-chip recruits. The other top-100 signees are wide receiver Cederian Morgan (40th), defensive linemen Jamarion Matthews (52nd) and Nolan Wilson (53rd), corner Zyan Gibson (56th) and quarterback Jett Thomalla (69th).