UA lost a few running backs from last season, with Jam Miller and Dre Washington graduating and Richard Young hitting the portal. The portal remains open through Friday, and it is still possible that Alabama goes and adds another back to replace Smothers.

Alabama wide receiver Isaiah Horton is headed to Texas A&M. Per On3, Horton committed to the Aggies on Sunday after entering the transfer portal following the Crimson Tide’s College Football Playoff loss in the Rose Bowl to Indiana.

After the loss of Cam Calhoun to the NCAA transfer portal, O'Neal gives Alabama two seasons of a long, large developmental cornerback who has turned heads at Mercer. Colin Gay covers Alabama football for The Tuscaloosa News, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at [email protected] or follow him @_ColinGay on X, formerly known as Twitter.

The Horton news follows a day in which Alabama missed out on a potential superstar replacement at receiver, when Cam Coleman announced his commitment to Texas. To make matters worse for the offense, running back Hollywood Smothers, who publicly committed to the Crimson Tide from NC State, flipped to Texas on Sunday as well.

Alabama football is in the throes of roster building. After ending the 2025 season with a shellacking from Indiana in the College Football Playoff quarterfinal at the Rose Bowl, the Crimson Tide is building up its 2026 depth chart, filling holes of players off to the NFL or off to other collegiate programs.

After one season as Alabama's starting quarterback, redshirt junior Ty Simpson has made a decision on his plans for 2026.

Ty Simpson is off to the NFL. After one season as the Alabama football starting quarterback, Simpson declared for the 2026 NFL draft Wednesday, Jan. 7. Simpson joins center Parker Brailsford and offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor as Tide players heading to the NFL.

Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson considers his future after a season-ending injury as the Crimson Tide faces a roster overhaul.