While names continue to be added daily to the transfer portal – and with little certainty as to where any of them are going to end up – here’s a list of 10 players we’re watching at TideFans.com as Alabama begins looking to the transfer portal to bolster its 2025 roster:
1. Luke Hasz, Jr., TE, 6’3” 245, Arkansas
2024 stats: 26 catches, 324 yards, 12.5 avg., 4 TD
When Danny Lewis Jr. opted to enter the transfer portal this week, it turned tight end from a position where it would be nice to have a portal addition, to an almost must-get. At the top of that list is Luke Hasz, a player Alabama recruited heavily out of high school who appears to be moving on from the Razorbacks. Hasz had a productive year at Arkansas and moves exceptionally well for his size. He’s not the textbook Y-option tight end that Lewis could have been, or that C.J. Dippre was for Alabama, but the thought of pairing him with Josh Cuevas to give Alabama two of the best receiving tight ends in the SEC certainly has mouths watering. Rodney Orr at TiderInsider has reported that Hasz will visit Alabama soon. Alternative: Max Klare (Purdue)
2. Keeshawn Silver, Sr., DT, 6’4” 336, Kentucky
2024 stats: 26 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 sack, 1 QB hurry
Alabama needs to add a couple of defensive tackles in this portal cycle, and Keeshawn Silver is a big body that can play multiple roles. This was Silver’s first full season of action after redshirting in 2021 at North Carolina and then playing sparingly in 2022 before transferring. His 26 tackles is good production for a player his size, but Silver hasn’t developed yet into the kind of playmaker in the backfield that his five-star pedigree as a high schooler would lead people to believe. He’d take some work, and he has only 1 year of eligibility remaining, but this is the kind of raw talent you don’t say “no” to. Alternatives: Gabriel Brownlow-Dindy (Texas A&M), Tyson Ford (Notre Dame)
3. K.C. Concepcion, Jr., WR, 5’11” 190, North Carolina State
2024 stats: 53 catches, 460 yards, 8.7 avg., 6 TD; 19 carries, 36 yards, 1.9 avg., 2 TD; 1-for-1 passing, 28 yards
Concepcion has been a do-everything player for North Carolina State in two years – catching passes, throwing passes and running jet sweeps. He’s basically the same player for NC State that Germie Bernard was for Washington in 2023. Concepcion’s 2024 per-catch production fell off in 2024; he was a freshman All-American in 2023. It’s likely he would take over the slot role Kendrick Law and Cole Adams split in 2024. On3 has reported Concepcion will visit Alabama soon. Alternative: Barion Brown (Kentucky)
4. Dane Key, Sr., WR, 6’3” 215, Kentucky
2024 stats: 47 catches, 715 yards, 15.2 avg., 2 TD
Kentucky is dealing with a mass exodus of sorts, including Dane Key and fellow wideout Barion Brown, who was recruited heavily by Alabama out of high school. Key may be a better fit for what Alabama is looking for at the moment, a tall receiver with good hands and the ability to go vertical for the catch. Key only scored twice in 2024, but that had a lot more to do with Kentucky’s sorry quarterback production than anything the fault of Key. Whereas Barion Brown would seem to fit the same role as K.C. Concepcion, Key would be an option at outside receiver. Alabama will almost certainly take one receiver from the portal, but will it take two? Alternative: C.J. Daniels, LSU
5. Tanner Koziol, Sr., TE, 6’7” 237, Ball State
2024 stats: 94 catches, 839 yards, 8.9 avg., 8 TD
If Bama goes looking for a big-bodied tight end who can perform in the red zone, this might be the guy. Koziol caught a whopping 94 passes from the tight end spot for Ball State in 2024, leading the team. There’s always a concern about players who would be coming into the SEC from a smaller conference, but there’s enough about Koziol’s game that should translate. The biggest question would be his blocking ability, as he has the size for Y but perhaps not the physicality. Alternative: Khamari Anderson, Kentucky
6. Corey Robinson, Sr., OT, 6’5” 305, Georgia Tech
Robinson is considered to be probably the top tackle available at the moment in the transfer portal – and nothing against Robinson, but that speaks to just how difficult it is to get a sure thing out of the portal at the tackle position. Robinson began his career at Kansas and then transferred to Georgia Tech; he’s athletic and fit, two things the Kalen DeBoer staff prioritizes in its tackles. The problem here is that, until Elijah Pritchett declares intentions otherwise, what Alabama would be looking for in a tackle is mostly someone to come in and push Pritchett or compete for the job outright. The top players in the tackle pool are likely looking for guarantees. Alabama will likely have to step down the list a bit to find depth at this position, much the way the Crimson Tide found Michigan State’s Geno VanDeMark last year, but getting Robinson would be a coup. Alternatives: Xavior Gray (Liberty), Derek Simmons (Western Carolina), Teague Andersen (Utah State), Andrew Gentry (Michigan)
7. Kelby Collins, Jr., DL, 6’4” 278, Florida
2024 stats: 6 tackles
Collins, a native of Gardendale, saw his playing time and production each cut in half from his 2023 season to his 2024 season. If it’s Alabama’s intention to get smaller and quicker along the defensive line, Collins could be a fit either at tackle or at the Bandit end position; he played mostly outside at Florida. The key concern here is why Collins as essentially moved out of a key role after a promising freshman campaign, especially since Florida was far from being a talent haven in either year. Alabama also needs more help inside than it does outside, especially if Tim Keenan opts for the NFL Draft or James Smith jumps in the portal, which has been rumored. To be safe, Bama needs to grab two players at this spot; Collins at least gives Alabama flexibility of role. Alternatives: Derrick LeBlanc (Central Florida), Wyatt Draeger (San Diego State)
8. Hunter Zambrano, Sr., OL, 6’5” 300, Illinois State
This is the kind of player the transfer portal was made for: a long-time starter at a smaller school who saw his physical development accelerate in college and now he’s on a bunch of NFL Draft boards. Zambrano is admittedly a longshot on this list (he may even declare for the Draft before it’s all over with), but we list him here for two reasons: One, Zambrano is the top guard available in this year’s portal, so he’s a domino that will cause other dominoes to fall. Two, adding Zambrano to Alabama’s group would essentially mean Alabama would experience no fall-off from Tyler Booker’s potential departure to the pros. Unlike the tackle spot, where there isn’t a lot of depth, there are guards galore already in the portal with more expected to enter it over the next couple of weeks. Alternatives: Aidan Banfield (North Carolina), Tyriq Poindexter (VMI), Dallas Fincher (Michigan State)
9. Jalen Smith, So., ILB, 6’2”, 230, Tennessee
2024 stats: 34 tackles, 1.5 TFL
Alabama may be better-positioned at inside linebacker than originally feared, as word began to leak out over the past couple of days that Deontae Lawson was likely to return for his senior season. Alabama still expects Jihaad Campbell to declare for the NFL Draft, however, and with the graduation of Justin Jefferson it leaves Alabama with the rare opportunity to offer a starting role on its defense. Enter Jalen Smith, a promising freshman who ended up as the third linebacker in a three-man rotation over two positions in 2023. Smith’s decision to leave Tennessee was a surprise to Volunteer coaches, and Smith has a lot of promise. Whether that’s enough to attract him to Alabama – or whether Alabama wants to take a chance on adding another underclassman to an already young unit – is another matter, especially with several veterans available in the portal. Alternatives: Amare Campbell (North Carolina), Derion Gullette (Texas), Terrence Cooks Jr. (TCU)
10. Kylin Jackson, So., S, 6’3” 200, LSU
2024 stats: 4 tackles, 1 QB hurry
Safety gets a lot less important to address in the transfer portal as soon as Keon Sabb makes his decision on whether to return or head to the NFL, with returning to Tuscaloosa currently being the leading option. If Sabb goes, Alabama will need to find a developmental safety that has the potential to play early, and Jackson absolutely fits that bill. Jackson barely played in 2024 in a dysfunctional defense that never could find the right mix; at Alabama – especially if Sabb returns – he could be brought along at a healthy pace, and have a chance to start. Alabama would have plenty of competition for Jackson’s signature, as 6’3” safeties who can hit are highly valued. Alternatives: Tristan Dunn (Washington), Jeffrey Ugochukwu (Vanderbilt)
Follow Jess Nicholas on X at @TideFansJessN