Alabama Bolsters Defensive Front with Transfer of Oregon DL Terrance Green
After getting pushed around in the trenches during their Rose Bowl loss to Indiana, Alabama made it clear: the line of scrimmage was going to be the top priority in the transfer portal. Head coach Kalen DeBoer and GM Courtney Morgan wasted no time addressing the offensive line, bringing in five new faces. Now, they’ve turned their focus to the other side of the ball-and landed a big one.
Literally.
Oregon defensive lineman Terrance Green, one of the top interior defenders available in the portal, has committed to Alabama. At 6-foot-5 and 330 pounds, Green brings both size and experience to a Crimson Tide front that’s been in need of reinforcements. He’s the No. 8 defensive lineman in the On3 portal rankings and comes with two years of eligibility remaining.
Green wasn’t just a name in the portal-he was a priority. Alabama made sure he didn’t leave Tuscaloosa without pledging to the Tide, and now he becomes the latest key piece in what’s shaping up to be a revamped, versatile defensive front.
During his time at Oregon, Green totaled 23 tackles, one sack, and three pass breakups. While those numbers don’t jump off the page, they also don’t tell the full story.
He was a rotational player in Eugene, but he showed flashes of the raw strength and interior disruption that made him a coveted target in the portal. At Alabama, he’ll likely slide into the starting nose tackle role, which could allow London Simmons to shift over to defensive tackle-a move that could unlock more versatility across the front.
And Green isn’t coming alone. He joins USC transfer Devan Thompkins, the No. 2-ranked DL in the portal, giving Alabama two top-10 defensive line additions in this cycle. That’s a major turnaround for a unit that had some serious question marks following the departures of LT Overton to the NFL and Keon Keeley, Jordan Renaud, and Kelby Collins via the portal.
Green is the 16th portal commitment for Alabama, and the third on the defensive line. Alongside Green and Thompkins, the Tide also added Kedrick Bigley-Jones, a seasoned interior lineman from Mississippi State. It’s a trio that brings a mix of size, strength, and experience-exactly what Alabama needed after getting outmuscled up front in their postseason finale.
The Bandit position-essentially Alabama’s hybrid edge role-was one of the biggest concerns after the recent wave of exits. But with Green anchoring the middle, Thompkins should have more flexibility to play outside on early downs and slide inside when the Tide go into pass-rush mode.
Bottom line: Alabama’s defensive front is starting to look like, well, Alabama’s defensive front again. And with Green now in the fold, the Crimson Tide are sending a clear message-they’re not planning to get pushed around anymore.