Alabama OL Roq Montgomery to Enter Transfer Portal Ahead of Rose Bowl Clash with Indiana
As Alabama gears up for its College Football Playoff showdown against No. 1-ranked Indiana in the Rose Bowl on Thursday, the Crimson Tide are also navigating some roster movement off the field. Backup offensive lineman Roq Montgomery is expected to enter the NCAA transfer portal, according to his agency.
The timing of the announcement-just hours after Alabama wrapped up Rose Bowl media day in Pasadena-adds another layer of intrigue to an already high-stakes week for the Tide.
Montgomery, a former four-star recruit from Anniston, Ala., was part of Alabama’s 2023 signing class. At 6-foot-3 and 340 pounds, he brought size and potential to the offensive front, appearing in 14 games during his time in Tuscaloosa. While he didn’t crack the starting rotation, he provided valuable depth in a unit that’s been both a strength and a work-in-progress throughout the season.
He’ll enter the portal with three years of eligibility remaining, giving him plenty of runway to find a new home and make an impact elsewhere.
Montgomery becomes the second Crimson Tide player from the 2025 roster to announce plans to transfer. Wide receiver Aeryn Hampton, who left the program in August, is also expected to enter the portal when it officially opens on January 2. The window will remain open through January 16, though teams still competing for the national championship get an extra five days to submit entries.
This latest departure is just one piece of a larger puzzle Alabama will have to solve heading into 2026. The offensive line room could look drastically different next season, starting with left tackle Kadyn Proctor, who is expected to declare for the NFL Draft.
Starting center Parker Brailsford has a decision to make as well-go pro or return for a third year in Tuscaloosa. Meanwhile, veteran guards Geno VanDeMark, Kam Dewberry, and Jaeden Roberts are all set to exhaust their eligibility after the season wraps.
So while the focus this week is squarely on Indiana and the Rose Bowl, the long-term outlook for Alabama’s offensive line is clearly in flux. That’s not unusual in today’s college football landscape, where roster turnover is as much a part of the offseason as spring ball and recruiting.
And speaking of roster movement, the NCAA’s new transfer rules are reshaping how programs approach this time of year. The transfer portal window, which used to open in early December, now runs from January 2 to January 16.
The spring portal window? Gone.
Graduate transfers, who once had more flexibility, are now locked into the same two-week window as everyone else.
There are also new stipulations for players impacted by coaching changes. Previously, those athletes had a 30-day window to enter the portal immediately. Now, they must wait five days after a new head coach is hired, triggering a tighter 15-day window-assuming the change happens after January 2.
For Alabama, the coaching staff will be busy juggling prep for the Rose Bowl while also managing the early stages of what’s shaping up to be a pivotal offseason. With key decisions looming and roster spots opening up, the Tide are entering a critical stretch-on and off the field.