Kalen DeBoer didn’t sound bitter about losing two players to Texas A&M at SEC Media Days. If anything, Alabama’s head coach made it clear he still sees value in what Wilkin Formby and Isaiah Horton brought to his program before both headed to College Station after entering the transfer portal.
On July 22, DeBoer was one of the Alabama voices at the podium as the SEC wrapped up its media days stretch and turned the page toward fall camp and the regular season. With Formby and Horton now part of Texas A&M’s roster for the 2026-27 season, the conversation naturally shifted to what the Aggies are getting.
DeBoer’s first response was all class.
"As long as they've given everything they've had while they're with me, I am always going to appreciate them."
That was the tone throughout his comments. In a sport where players move from school to school with increasing frequency, DeBoer made it clear he values what guys do while they’re in his program, even if their next stop comes somewhere else in the SEC.
And he didn’t hold back when describing Formby.
"Wilkin's got two years of quality snaps under his belt," DeBoer said. "Versatility. Can probably play outside and inside."
His read on Horton was just as direct.
"Isaiah - long, big catch radius," DeBoer said. "Made a lot of plays down in the red zone for us last year in some big games."
That kind of scouting report is exactly what Texas A&M fans want to hear as they look ahead to what these additions could mean for the Aggies. The praise from DeBoer points to two players who should bring real value to the roster.
For now, the bigger picture is simple: Texas A&M has added two former Alabama players, and Alabama’s coach left the door open with nothing but respect. The next meeting between the programs comes in Week 8, when Texas A&M travels to Alabama in what is expected to be a top-10 matchup.
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