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UPDATED: Alabama Crimson Tide Football Roster Tracker

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The revolving door is the new normal in college football.

NCAA Football: SEC Championship-Georgia vs Alabama
DeMarcco Hellams (2) and defensive back Jordan Battle (9) will be back with the Tide in 2022.
Gary Cosby Jr.-USA TODAY Sports

As the 2021 college football season comes to an end, the annual personnel carousel roars to life.

In November, the plug was finally pulled on DB Marcus Banks’ time in Tuscaloosa. He would later commit to transfer to Mississippi State. WR Xavier Williams will be back in Tuscaloosa next fall. However, it will be as a member of visiting Utah State.

At the end of the regular season, LB Jackson Bratton and OL Pierce Quick were the next two Tide players to hit the transfer portal. Quick has already announced that he is heading to Georgia Tech. Bratton has yet to decide on his future though there are some rumors surrounding UAB. UPDATED: Confirmed to the Blazers.

This week brought news of several Tide players also announcing their intentions to transfer.

  1. QB Paul Tyson (completed Year 3 with a RS) - announced to Arizona State
  2. OLB King Mwikuta (Year 3, no RS) - announced to Arkansas State
  3. OLB Drew Sanders (Year 2, no RS) - announced to Arkansas
  4. OL Tommy Brown (Year 4 with a RS) - announced to Colorado
  5. TE Jahleel Billingsley (Year 3, no RS) - announced to Texas
  6. WR Javon Baker (Year 2, no RS) - announced to Kentucky
  7. LB Jaylen Moody (Year 4, no RS) - returning to Bama for a Super-Sr year.
  8. LB Shane Lee (Year 3, no RS) - Southern Cal

Though unlikely, the possibilities of any of these players returning to Alabama still exists as we saw with Mwikuta last year.

On Thursday, LB Jaylen Moody joined the exodus but he has a different set of circumstances. Back on November 20, the Crimson Tide honored several players on “Senior Day” before playing Arkansas. Below is the full list of honorees with comments from an earlier posting.

Christopher Allen - (Fifth year, three full seasons plus two years injured) A starter at linebacker who was expected to have a big year. Suffered a season-ending injury in the season opener against Miami. If healthy, he could be a contributor somewhere.

Josh Jobe - (Fourth year, all full seasons) Became a full-time cornerback starter in 2020. Has had some on-field issues this season and replaced by freshman Kool-Aid McKinstry on Saturday.

Phidarian Mathis - (Fifth year, four seasons plus a redshirt) Became a full-time defensive line starter in 2020. Has little to gain by coming back, should enter the NFL Draft.

Jaylen Moody - (Fourth year, all full season) A fan favorite at linebacker who never got much of a shot at starting. Could still be a valuable contributor or a starter for Alabama or some other team next year.

Chris Owens - (Sixth year) No more eligibility.

Kendall Randolph - (Fifth year, four seasons plus a redshirt) A part-time starter as a blocking tight end/fifth tackle.

LaBryan Ray - (Fifth year, four seasons plus a redshirt) Hampered by injuries throughout his career. Former 5-star is a starter on the defensive line when healthy but won’t be drafted very high if at all.

Brian Robinson - (Fifth year, all full seasons) No more eligibility.

Major Tennison - (Fifth year, four seasons plus a redshirt) Forgotten tight end who has seen very little playing time this season.

Daniel Wright - (Fifth year, four seasons plus a redshirt) Became a starter in the secondary in 2020 but lost his job by the end of the season. Has filled in this season and played a great deal in all four seasons.

One would assume that these players’ inclusions in the “Senior Day” festivities were pretty good indicators that none of them would be coming back to Tuscaloosa for Super-Senior seasons, though they could land elsewhere. Jobe and Mathis have already announced for the NFL Draft. Current Super-Seniors, Robinson and Owens are now absolutely positively out of college eligibility.

ANNOUNCED FOR THE NFL DRAFT

The following Tide players have announced their intentions to enter the NFL Draft:

  • OT Evan Neal
  • WR Jameson Williams
  • WR John Metchie
  • CB Josh Jobe
  • WR Slade Bolden - has earned a master’s degree.
  • DL Phidarian Mathis
  • CB Jalyn Armour-Davis
  • LB Chris Allen
  • LB Christian Harris

RETURNING ANNOUNCEMENTS

  • MLB Henry To’o To’o
  • DL DJ Dale
  • DB DeMarcco Hellams
  • S Jordan Battle
  • DL Byron Young
  • OG Emil Ekiyor
  • TE Cameron Latu

TO BE ANNOUNCED

A few other Alabama players with eligibility remaining have yet to make any kind of formal announcement.

  • CB Jalyn Armour-Davis
  • LB Christian Harris
  • Could one or more of the Senior Day participants return? UPDATE: Kendall Randolph, Jaylen Moody. Daniel Wright?

NEXT MAN UP

Normally this time of year, the front page of RBR would be plastered with recruiting stories, but there are none to be told. By all appearances, it seems like Saban is done with recruiting high schoolers for the Class of 2022 - though there could be a surprise or two.

Alabama has 13 Early Enrollees including future superstars EDGE Jeremiah Alexander and QB Ty Simpson.

In addition to the nation’s #2 recruiting class, the Crimson Tide has already rescued dynamic all-purpose back Jahmyr Gibbs from Georgia Tech and former All-Freshman defensive back Eli Ricks from LSU. Both of these transfers are enrolled at the Capstone and working with the team. Tide fans could see Nick Saban further dip into the transfer pool in the coming weeks and months.

COACHING CHANGES

So far, only cornerbacks coach Jay Valai has left the Tide coaching staff. New Sooners head coach Brent Venables stated that Valai will serve as Oklahoma’s co-defensive coordinator/pass defense and will coach both cornerbacks and nickel backs.

Valai was the primary recruiter on 4-star RB Jamarion Miller and a secondary on 4-star DB Earl Little. However, he also struck out on some high-profile prospects including 5-star WR Evan Stewart and 5-star DB Denver Harris both of whom signed with Texas A&M. 2021 was Valai’s lone season on the Tide staff.

Rumors have it that Bama WR coach Holmon Wiggins was being wooed by Notre Dame. As a result, he received a pay increase to stay at Alabama.

Crimson Tide OC Bill O’Brien has been connected to some of the openings in the NFL, with Jacksonville in particular. He was said to have interviewed with the Jags on Wednesday, but it has been awfully quiet ever since.

OUT IN
Drew Svoboda Special teams coordinator/Tight end coach Coleman Hutzler Special teams coordinator/Outside linebackers coach
Doug Marrone Offensive line coach Eric Wolford Offensive line coach
Jay Valai Cornerbacks coach Travaris Robinson Cornerbacks coach
Sal Sunseri Outside linebackers coach Joe Cox Tight end coach

Coaches Update 2/25/22

  • JAN. 18 UPDATE: LaBryan Ray accepted an invitation to play in East-West Shrine Bowl.
  • JAN. 18 UPDATE: Kendall Randolph will be back for a Super-Senior season.
  • JAN. 19 UPDATE: Word has it that Miami CB coach Travaris Robinson is expected to join the Tide. He would replace Valai.
  • JAN. 19 UPDATE: Also making the Twitter rounds is news that Ole Miss special teams coordinator Coleman Hutzler is also expected to come on board. However, there are no reports on whose place he is taking. Drew Svoboda is the current ST coach.
  • JAN. 19 UPDATE: It doesn’t look like BOB is getting the Jax gig.
  • JAN. 19 UPDATE: Jackson Bratton to UAB.
  • JAN. 20 UPDATE: Tommy Brown is heading to Colorado.
  • JAN. 20 UPDATE: 247sports is reporting that Jaylen Moody will remove his name from the TP and stay at Alabama for an additional Super Senior year.
  • JAN. 20 UPDATE: OLB coach Sal Suneri is expected to move to an off-the-field role at Alabama. Hutzler will coach the outside linebackers and special teams.
  • JAN. 21 UPDATE: Javon Baker is packing for Kentucky.
  • JAN. 23 UPDATE: Shane Lee will be heading west to the Southern Cal mirage.
  • JAN. 25 UPDATE: Punter Ty Perine is looking to transfer. He is a walk-on who took over punting duties in 2019 (13 punts, 44.7 ypp), but has not stepped on the field since that season.
  • JAN. 25 UPDATE: RB Camar Wheaton has vanished into this air.
  • JAN. 26 UPDATE: Daniel Wright has reportedly signed with an agent.
  • JAN. 31 UPDATE: Eric Wolford joins Alabama as OL coach to replace Doug Marrone.
  • FEB. 1 UPDATE: Wheaton is in the TP.
  • FEB. 3 UPDATE: Perine removed his name from the portal.
  • FEB. 3 UPDATE: Joe Cox is the new tight end coach. Svoboda is out.
  • FEB. 9 UPDATE: There is some mystery around the status of Daniel Wright.
  • FEB. 23 UPDATE: Still no landing spot for Wheaton.
  • FEB. 23 UPDATE: New Orleans Saints announce the addition of Offensive Line Coach Doug Marrone.
  • FEB. 24 UPDATE: Former UGA, Louisville, Miss State, and Florida OC Todd Grantham is reportedly joining Bama as an analyst.
  • FEB. 28 UPDATE: New Orleans Saints have hired Dr. Matt Rhea but David Ballou will stay in Tuscaloosa.
  • FEB. 28 UPDATE: It’s interesting to note that former Special Teams Coordinator/Tight Ends Coach Drew Svoboda is still listed on the rolltide.com roster but under “Football Support Staff”.
  • MARCH 1 UPDATE: Alabama is expected to hire former Auburn assistant Cornelius Williams as an analyst. Bryan Harsin fired the first-year wide receivers coach four games into the season in 2021.
  • MARCH 14 UPDATE: Svoboda has been named senior special assistants to Saban. Sunseri shares the same title.
  • MARCH 14 UPDATE: Rick Danison is now listed as an assistant strength and conditioning coach.
  • APRIL 5 UPDATE: WR Agiye Hall’s name has disappeared from the rolltide.com roster. Rumor has it he showed up late for Saturday’s scrimmage and that was the last straw.
  • APRIL 5 UPDATE: RB Camar Wheaton is headed to SMU.
  • APRIL 19 UPDATE: Hall announced that he has committed to transfer to Texas.
  • APRIL 20 UPDATE: Reserve DL Stephon Wynn is in the TP.
  • APRIL 25 UPDATE: DB Kaine Williams is in the transfer portal after one season at the Capstone.
  • APRIL 25 UPDATE: TE Caden Clark is transferring to Akron.
  • MAY 5 UPDATE: Freshman OL Dayne Shor is looking to transfer after one whole semester at the Capstone. He was an early enrollee just four months ago.
  • MAY 5 UPDATE: Bama adds JUCO TE Miles Kitselman to the class of 2022.
  • Stephon Wynn announced he will transfer to Nebraska.