Alabama’s third defensive back is gone due to a transfer.
Blue-chip safety Jake Pope entered the transfer portal on Monday, according to On3’s Pete Nakos. This presumably means that his time with the Alabama Crimson Tide is coming to an end and that the team has lost yet another defensive back to injury.
Pope, a four-star redshirt freshman, is the third player to visit the portal after Kristian Story and Earl Little Jr. Despite appearing to be “in line to compete for playing time next fall,” Nick Alvarez of AL.com reports.
“Instead, all will be playing their football out of Tuscaloosa,” Alvarez stated.
What then is the cause of these exits? Not that there won’t be a chance to play; in addition to the three portal players, Kool-Aid McKinstry, Terrion Arnold, and Jalen Key from Alabama are three defensive backs who will be joining the NFL.
But, as is typical in Tuscaloosa, there is a ton of talent at every position, including defensive back. Caleb Downs, a true freshman who has impressed this season, has already secured one safety slot.
If the current season is any guide, it might be difficult to get snaps at the other defensive backfield positions. After all, none of the acclaimed young players had an opportunity to participate until McKinstry was injured during the SEC Championship Game versus Georgia. Instead, senior Trey Amos was pressed into duty and immediately made an impact, breaking up a pass intended for Georgia’s best offensive player, tight end Brock Bowers.
In contrast, consider Pope’s season. Pope participated in 11 games, primarily on special teams, as Alvarez pointed out.
“Pope … would rotate on defense late during blowouts,” he stated. “He did not record a tackle.”
Nothing at Alabama is assured, but at many other programs, a gifted athlete like Pope, or Little and Story, who were both four-star recruits, can probably earn important playing time right away.
Nearly every defensive back listed in September has been plucked from Alabama’s two-deep depth chart while those players try to find a place elsewhere.
Head coach Nick Saban has a ton of raw talent to choose from, including five-star Dezz Ricks and four-star recruits Antonio Kite, Tony Mitchell, and DeVonta Smith.
However, for Crimson Tide players trying to fight for snaps, opportunities can come and go quickly. These highly regarded young athletes may find their names in the portal next if they fail to seize this opportunity in the spring and early fall.
