Alabama’s 2026-27 roster is going to look different, but one name from Labaron Philon stands out as a possible difference-maker.
Philon, who declared for the NBA Draft and was selected with the No. 22 pick by the Philadelphia 76ers, was asked by Bama Central before the draft which Alabama players fans should be watching next season. He mentioned several familiar names - Qayden Samuels, Tarris Bouie, Amari Allen and London Jemison - but his first answer was the one that really turned heads.
"I would say Cole [Cloer], definitely," Philon told Bama Central. "When I was there, he went on a visit and it was crazy how he shoots the ball. I feel like Cole is going to be [really good].
That praise points straight at one of Nate Oats’ most interesting offseason additions. Cloer came to Alabama after spending part of last season at NC State, where he enrolled in January following a season-ending injury during his senior year of high school. He was a Top 30 recruit in the 2026 class before reclassifying, then entered the portal after the season and landed with the Crimson Tide.
The selling point is obvious: shooting. At 6-foot-8, Cloer brings size and a jumper, and he was one of the better perimeter shooters in high school before arriving at NC State. He hit 43% of his threes in EYBL play last summer, and he can score both as a spot-up option and off the dribble.
That skill set gives him a real shot to matter in Alabama’s wing competition. Allen and Holloway are projected to start in the backcourt, while Jemison, Samuels, Jaxon Richardson and Cloer are among the players fighting for time on the perimeter. Cloer had been easy to overlook in that group, but his ability to space the floor fits cleanly in Oats’ system.
He also brings flexibility. Cloer can play on the wing and can slide up to the four in smaller lineups, giving Alabama another piece it can use in different combinations. A group featuring Holloway, Allen, Samuels, Cloer and Drew Fielder could give Oats one of the best shooting lineups he has ever put on the floor in Tuscaloosa.
Philon’s comments make one thing clear: Cloer is not just another name on the roster. He looks like a legitimate player to watch, and his arrival could end up being one of the quieter reasons Alabama stays in the mix in the SEC and remains a threat for another deep NCAA Tournament run.
In Other News...
Alabama Fans Wont Enjoy Seeing This Former Tide QB Buzz
A familiar name is climbing the college football pecking order again, and it is one Alabama fans probably would rather not see near the top. Pro Football Focus analysts Dalton Wasserman and Max Chadwick released their preseason ranking of the top 50 players entering 2026, and former Tide quarterback Julian Sayin landed as the top quarterback and No. 4 overall. The list puts Ohio State star Jeremiah Smith at No. 1, with defenders Leonard Moore and Colin Simmons also ranked ahead of Sayin.
For Alabama, the buzz around Sayin is a reminder of how quickly his rise has accelerated since arriving in Columbus. He was the nations most efficient passer in 2025 and the only returning Heisman finalist for 2026, which makes him one of the defining names on the sports early watch lists. The bigger question now is how high his stock can go from here, especially with PFF already placing him in elite company before the season even begins. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama Is Reaching A Moment Kalen DeBoer Can't Afford To Miss
Kalen DeBoer has already done enough in two seasons at Alabama to keep the conversation honest. He has guided the Crimson Tide to a 20-8 mark, reached the SEC Championship Game and got the program back into the College Football Playoff in his second year, which would count as real progress almost anywhere else in the sport.
At Alabama, though, progress is never the whole story. The Tide are still being measured against the standard Nick Saban built, and with the roster and culture now further removed from that era, the margin for patience keeps shrinking. DeBoer has put the program back in the national picture, but the next step is the one that matters most, and it is the one Alabama can least afford to keep waiting on. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Just Took Another Painful 2027 Recruiting Blow Up Front
The 2027 offensive line board took another hit in the latest round of recruiting movement, and the ripple effect is hard to miss for programs still trying to stockpile elite big men early. Ismael Camara, one of the most coveted interior linemen in the class, is off the board after narrowing his choice to Texas, SMU, LSU and Oregon, leaving several schools to regroup as the cycle starts to take shape.
Camaras profile has drawn plenty of attention because evaluators see him as one of the top interior offensive linemen in the country, with both 247Sports and Rivals drawing a comparison to former Alabama tackle Kadyn Proctor. For LSU, it is another reminder that the battle for premium line talent is already fierce, and the Tigers will have to keep pressing elsewhere if they want to land a centerpiece up front in this class. [Read more 🡒]