Alabama got its first real look at Kalen DeBoer’s latest quarterback call on Monday, and the bigger takeaway may have come up front. DeBoer had already named Keelon Russell the starter, and while most of his comments on the quarterback race stayed in familiar coach-speak territory, he did offer a clearer read on the offensive line battles.
At right tackle, DeBoer said Jayvin James has handled most of the reps, with Nick Brooks still pressing him hard. At left guard, Mal Waldrep has gotten the bulk of the work, especially early in camp while Will Sanders was easing in because of modifications, though Sanders has started to mix in more. DeBoer also noted that Sanders can play both left guard and right guard and takes reps at each spot during practice.
There was also a worrying update on defensive tackle Jeremiah Beaman, who was injured. Beaman already missed all of 2025 after an early injury, so another setback would be a brutal blow if it turns out to be serious.
Outside Tuscaloosa, the sport’s newest eligibility mess keeps widening, and Alabama’s head coach wasn’t interested in drawing lines in the sand. When asked about the growing debate over allowing NFL players back into college, DeBoer said the issue is being handled through athletic director Greg Byrne.
“Just overall, in general, how that kind of works, [Alabama athletic director] Greg Byrne’s communicating with me and us about just what we can and can’t do,” DeBoer said on Monday. “We know that there’s a possibility out there of someone that was on our roster in the past, but again, right now he wouldn’t be able to come in and play.
“So I can’t control that. Can’t worry about that.
Just got to see how things move forward and progress. You just never know, each day in the world we’re in right now, what tomorrow might look like.
We’ll kind of see as we go. I know there’s a lot of conference and national just figuring this thing out, and Greg Byrne continues to keep me updated on everything.”
One name that could come back into the picture is Kam Dewberry, a former Alabama player from the class of 2022 who was the Crimson Tide’s starting left guard last season. He went undrafted, signed with the Atlanta Falcons, and was then carted off the field during Saturday’s preseason game.
Another player in the middle of the eligibility storm is tight end Dae’Quan Wright. He signed with the Cleveland Browns as an undrafted free agent this offseason, then was waived and is now joining LSU through the transfer portal.
LSU also added former New Orleans Saints defensive end Zxavian Harrison, according to On3’s Pete Nakos, and Lane Kiffin addressed why schools are moving to recruit these players as the legal landscape shifts.
“Through (players) winning injunctions and entry into the portal, they are available to recruit,” LSU head coach Lane Kiffin told reporters on Monday. “Ourselves and many places around the country are recruiting them. ...
Because of the rulings, they are going to play for you or someone else. We made the decision to recruit them.
It’s wrong to be critical of these kids. They were granted a fifth year and a judge said they were wronged. ...
These players should have been told that they were going to be eligible for a fifth year. Had they known that, they would have stayed (and not signed pro contracts).
You may end up having hundreds of athletes told they have a fifth year. It’s a unique circumstance.”
Cleveland Browns head coach Todd Monken was asked about Wright after the tight end dressed for the team’s second preseason game, though he did not play.
“Man, that s--t is crazy. I don’t even know what to say,” he told reporters.
“As far as I know he had a medical issue that wasn’t allowing him to practice, it’s nothing to do with me. And then he was cleared so we dressed him just in case we had to have him.
But when you don’t rep it’s hard to put him on the field. ... I wondered why Lane Kiffin reached out a week ago.
Now I know. S--t, I didn’t know, now I know.
I didn’t call him back, guess I should’ve”
LSU also got a major ruling in basketball. Former St.
John’s star RJ Luis was granted a preliminary injunction Monday, clearing the way for him to play for coach Will Wade in the 2026-27 season. Judge Ronald Johnson heard Luis’ lawsuit against the NCAA at the 19th Judicial District Courthouse in Baton Rouge.
Luis was represented by attorney Elliot Abrams, while the NCAA’s attorney was Taylor Askew. The hearing lasted more than five hours, and the courtroom included Wade, associate head coach Rick Stansbury, assistant coach Johnny Jones, senior deputy athletic director Heath Schroyer, LSU forward Mo Dioubate, LSU guard Abdi Bashir and Luis’ father, Reggie Luis Charles.
The SEC, meanwhile, is clearly not thrilled with how all of this is unfolding. The broader issue, though, goes beyond schools and conferences.
It also affects fans, who are being asked to track an increasingly tangled system with very little consistency, and high school players, since roster spots and money do not simply expand to fit everyone. Alabama’s recruiting class this year, with fewer than 20 total players, was held up as one example of how that squeeze is already showing up.
And with that, the message from the piece is pretty simple: the sport may be changing fast, but nobody seems fully convinced this is the right direction.
In Other News...
Alabama Already Has A Preseason Injury Problem Fans Will Be Watching
Alabamas preseason work has already been interrupted by a handful of injury situations, and Jeremiah Beamans practice injury is the latest name to watch as camp moves along. The defensive lineman went down during practice, and the full details are still pending, adding another layer of concern to a depth chart that is already being tested before the season even gets going.
There is at least some encouraging movement elsewhere, with receiver Lotzeir Brooks nearing full participation and running back EJ Crowell still working back while trying to get ready for the opener. But Alabama is also dealing with camp injuries to AK Dear and cornerback Jorden Edmonds, both of whom are expected to miss the start of the season, so the early weeks of camp now have a very different feel than the staff likely hoped for. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama Could Be Eyeing An Unusual Roster Reunion
Kalen DeBoer has at least left the door cracked on an unusual roster move, acknowledging Alabama could explore bringing back a player from the high school class of 2022 even though that players college eligibility has already expired. For a program that is constantly balancing present needs with long-term roster planning, the possibility adds a strange layer to an offseason that already has more than enough uncertainty.
The name most closely tied to the idea is guard Kam Dewberry, who signed with the Atlanta Falcons but is not projected to make their 53-man roster. His situation sits in the middle of a messy eligibility landscape, shaped by recent NCAA rule changes and ongoing legal challenges tied to extensions for the class of 2022, leaving the door open just enough for Alabama to keep monitoring it. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama WR Rico Scott Is Pushing For A Bigger Fall Role
Rico Scotts summer was slowed by health issues, but Alabama offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb said the receiver has eased back into practice and is trending in the right direction. The bigger development for the Crimson Tide is what Scott has shown since then: more physical play, better work at the catch point and a steadier presence in the mix as Alabama sorts out its receiving rotation for the fall.
For a player who finished last season with 11 catches for 98 yards and two touchdowns, the path to a larger role is starting to come into focus. Scott does not need a headline-grabbing leap to matter, only enough consistency to stay on the field and give Alabama another dependable option as the offense settles in. [Read more 🡒]