Alabama didn’t land a veteran running back in the Transfer Portal this offseason, and that miss has only magnified the spotlight on one name: Ezavier Crowell. The five-star phenom isn’t just the Crimson Tide’s most important freshman in the 2026 class - he’s now the highest-ranked as well.
Crowell’s rise has been meteoric. After reclassifying from the 2027 class to 2026, he enrolled early at Alabama and quickly climbed the recruiting rankings. Now, with the final evaluations in, he’s officially the No. 14 overall player in the country and the No. 1 running back in the class, leapfrogging Michigan’s Savion Hiter in the process.
And it’s not hard to see why. Crowell’s high school résumé reads like a video game stat line: 6,333 rushing yards, 91 touchdowns, and two state championships at Jackson High. That’s not just production - that’s dominance.
Now, here’s the kicker: Crowell is stepping into what could be a starting role this fall, in what should’ve been his senior year of high school. That’s how quickly things have moved for him - and how much Alabama needs him.
With Jam Miller out of eligibility and Richard Young entering the portal, the Crimson Tide backfield is in flux. Daniel Hill is the top returning rusher, but he managed just 284 yards on 75 carries last season.
That’s solid depth, not RB1 material. Kevin Riley had some promising moments, and AK Dear came in with plenty of hype in the 2025 class, but no one in that group seized control of the position last year.
That opens the door for Crowell to make an immediate impact. And frankly, Alabama needs him to. The Tide finished the 2025 season ranked 131st in rushing success rate - a stunning drop-off for a program that once churned out NFL backs like clockwork.
But the blame doesn’t fall solely on the running backs. Offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb’s play-calling leaned heavily toward the pass, and the offensive line simply didn’t get the job done.
That’s why head coach Kalen DeBoer and GM Courtney Morgan went to work overhauling the line via the Transfer Portal. With standout tackle Kadyn Proctor off to the NFL, Alabama brought in six new offensive linemen to reshape the unit.
Meanwhile, the Tide added just one running back through the portal - Khalifa Keith, a late pickup with just 129 rushing yards across three seasons at Tennessee and Appalachian State. NC State transfer Hollywood Smothers had initially committed to Alabama but flipped to Texas, leaving Crowell as the clear headliner in the backfield rebuild.
So yes, Crowell’s rankings bump might be just a number on paper, but it’s also confirmation of what Alabama fans - and the coaching staff - are hoping for: a game-changer. He’s the kind of back Alabama hasn’t had since Jahmyr Gibbs, and the kind they’ve been missing.
If Crowell can translate his high school dominance to the SEC stage, he won’t just be a freshman to watch - he’ll be the heartbeat of a backfield looking to reestablish its identity. And for a program that’s built its legacy on elite running back play, that’s exactly what the Tide need.