Replacing Parker Brailsford at center is no small task for Kalen DeBoer and the Alabama Crimson Tide. Brailsford, when healthy, was one of the most dynamic centers in college football over the past two seasons.
His ability to move in space, deliver clean blocks on the second level, and anchor the interior was a key component of Alabama’s offensive identity. Even though his play dipped late last season due to a foot injury, his impact on the field was undeniable.
So when a player like that leaves, finding someone who can step in and keep the machine running is a tall order. But Alabama may have landed just the guy - and he’s already drawing comparisons to Brailsford from one of the most respected voices in offensive line analysis.
Enter Racin Delgatty, a transfer from Cal Poly who’s already turning heads - most notably that of former Auburn center and current SEC Network analyst Cole Cubelic. And when Cubelic talks O-line play, people in the college football world listen.
Cubelic didn’t hold back in his praise, calling Delgatty “almost a carbon copy” of Brailsford. That’s not a comparison he makes lightly.
According to Cubelic, Delgatty brings the same quickness, agility, and technical precision that made Brailsford such a weapon in Alabama’s system. He’s a natural fit for what DeBoer and offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb want from their center - a guy who can pull, get into space, and finish blocks with authority.
“He’s quick enough and agile enough for the scheme,” Cubelic said on The Cube Show. “He’s an excellent puller.
He can get out in space quickly, he doesn’t waste time, and he doesn’t take false steps. He has a great punch.
The desire is going to be there. This kid likes to play football.
He plays the game the way you want him to play it. He will finish.”
That’s high praise, especially from someone who’s been consistently bullish on Brailsford’s impact. And while Delgatty does come in with a similar build - 6-foot-4, 300 pounds - the key is his athleticism.
He’s shown on tape that he can handle himself against bigger bodies, including when he faced a stout Utah front while at Cal Poly. He wasn’t overwhelmed.
He wasn’t overpowered. He held his own.
Still, the SEC is a different beast. The week-in, week-out physicality and speed of the defensive lines in this conference will test any lineman, especially one making the jump from the FCS level.
There may be an adjustment period, and that’s okay. But Delgatty isn’t some raw prospect - he’s logged over 1,300 career snaps, including 785 in pass protection over the past two seasons.
In that time, he’s allowed just one sack, two quarterback hits, and 14 total pressures. That kind of production doesn’t go unnoticed.
It’s no surprise, then, that Delgatty had plenty of suitors in the portal - including interest from powerhouses like Michigan. But Alabama won that battle, and it could pay dividends in a big way.
If Cubelic’s evaluation holds up - and his track record suggests it very well might - then Delgatty isn’t just a depth piece. He’s a plug-and-play starter who can keep Alabama’s offensive line humming. For a program that’s looking to maintain its edge under a new coaching staff, that’s a massive win in the transfer portal.
Replacing a player like Brailsford isn’t easy. But in Racin Delgatty, Alabama may have found the next man up - and if all goes according to plan, the transition could be a lot smoother than expected.