After a rollercoaster of a season that saw Alabama claw its way back to the College Football Playoff, the Crimson Tide’s Rose Bowl collapse against Indiana - a lopsided 38-3 defeat - made one thing crystal clear: Kalen DeBoer’s roster needs reinforcements. And fast.
In today’s college football landscape, the quickest way to reload is through the Transfer Portal. But as the dust settles on the winter portal window, which officially closed Friday, Alabama’s haul raises more questions than answers.
The Tide saw 21 players exit and just 10 come in. That’s not exactly the ratio you want when trying to stay in the national title hunt - especially in a year that marks DeBoer’s third at the helm, the same point in his tenure when Nick Saban captured his first championship in Tuscaloosa.
Let’s be clear: DeBoer and general manager Courtney Morgan are betting big on high school recruiting. And to their credit, they’ve stacked strong classes.
But it’s tough to build a dynasty when you’re losing key contributors to the portal every offseason. The talent drain is real - and a few of these departures are going to hurt more than others.
Isaiah Horton: The One That Got Away (to the SEC West, no less)
If there’s one thing Alabama fans have learned, it’s that catching a game-winning touchdown in the Iron Bowl might just be your ticket to the Transfer Portal. Isaiah Bond did it two years ago and bolted for Texas. This time around, it was Isaiah Horton’s turn - and now he’s heading to Texas A&M.
That’s a brutal blow, especially considering Alabama was in the mix for Auburn transfer Cam Coleman, a former five-star wideout. But Coleman chose Texas, leaving the Tide scrambling. They did manage to land NC State’s Noah Rogers, a talented receiver in his own right, but Horton brought a different kind of threat to the offense.
At 6-foot-4, Horton was Alabama’s go-to X receiver - the kind of guy who could outjump defenders and win in the red zone. He hauled in eight touchdowns last season, including a hat trick against Auburn. Losing that kind of production and physical presence on the outside leaves a noticeable void.
James Smith: A Trenches Talent Heading North
James Smith, a 2023 five-star and one of Alabama’s more consistent defensive linemen over the past two seasons, is also on his way out. He logged over 400 snaps in 2025 as a redshirt sophomore and finished with 11 quarterback pressures, 2.5 sacks, and 26 tackles. Those numbers don’t jump off the page, but his presence in the rotation was steady and reliable - something Alabama’s defensive front desperately needed, especially after getting pushed around by Indiana in Pasadena.
The Tide are hoping USC transfer Devan Thompkins can step into Smith’s role, but that’s a tall order considering the overall attrition along the defensive line. Alabama didn’t just lose Smith - they lost depth, experience, and toughness up front. And in the SEC, that’s a dangerous combination.
Qua Russaw: A High-Ceiling Edge Rusher Alabama Didn’t Get to Fully Unleash
Smith won’t be the only former Tide player suiting up in Columbus next year. He’s bringing linebacker Qua Russaw with him - and that package deal could pay big dividends for Ohio State’s new defensive coordinator, Matt Patricia.
Russaw, a stand-up edge rusher in Kane Wommack’s system, showed flashes of elite pass-rush potential. The problem?
He couldn’t stay healthy. Injuries limited his impact in 2025, opening the door for Yhonzae Pierre to emerge as Alabama’s top edge threat.
Pierre is returning for another season, which helps stabilize the position, but make no mistake - Russaw’s departure still stings. He was a high-upside player who hadn’t scratched the surface of what he could become. Now, he’ll be doing that development in scarlet and gray, not crimson and white.
The Bottom Line
Alabama’s 2025 season ended with a hard reset. The Rose Bowl loss wasn’t just a defeat - it was a wake-up call.
And while DeBoer is laying the foundation for long-term success through high school recruiting, the immediate concern is depth and experience. With 21 players heading out the door and only 10 coming in, the Tide are facing a numbers game they’re not used to playing.
Replacing the production - and potential - of players like Horton, Smith, and Russaw won’t be easy. And if Alabama wants to stay in the thick of the national championship conversation, they’ll need some of their new additions (and returning veterans) to step up in a big way.
The good news? There’s still time to reshape the roster before fall. But the margin for error just got a whole lot thinner.