Alabama’s 2024 football season ended on a bitter note with a 19-13 loss to Michigan in the ReliaQuest Bowl, marking the third time the Crimson Tide fell as a double-digit favorite under new head coach Kalen DeBoer. The loss has sparked significant roster upheaval, with nine players entering the transfer portal following the defeat, bringing the total departures to 23 this season. Among those leaving is starting right tackle Elijah Pritchett, a five-star recruit from the 2022 class who started all 13 games this year.
The departures include several high-profile talents. Linebacker Jeremiah Alexander, the No. 50 overall recruit in 2022, leaves after three seasons with just eight tackles. Three other defensive players—Sterling Dixon, Jayshawn Ross, and King Mack—are also exiting. Mack, a former top-100 recruit who transferred from Penn State last offseason, recorded 17 tackles in two years. Dixon and Ross, highly ranked recruits from the 2024 cycle, had limited impact, combining for just one tackle.
Offensively, Alabama is losing more depth. Wide receivers Jaren Hamilton and Amari Jefferson, along with tight end Ty Lockwood, have entered the portal. Lockwood, ranked as the No. 12 tight end in the 2023 class, was the only one of the trio to record a catch during his time in Tuscaloosa. Additionally, walk-on running back JR Gardner has also departed.
This exodus of talent is raising concerns about Alabama’s depth and ability to remain competitive in a challenging SEC landscape. With high expectations for DeBoer’s first season, the Crimson Tide’s struggles to retain talent and deliver on the field could signal deeper challenges for the program. Only time will reveal if Alabama can weather this storm and return to its dominant form.
