Former Alabama tight end Amari Niblack has re-entered the transfer portal after spending one season at Texas.
Niblack began his college career at Alabama. He was a part of the Crimson Tide’s 2022 recruiting class. In two seasons at Alabama, Niblack reeled in 21 catches for 342 yards and five touchdowns. The majority of his production came as a sophomore.
After the conclusion of the 2023 season, Niblack entered the transfer portal and signed with Texas. In one season with the Longhorns, he played in nine games and recorded five catches for 33 yards.
The Florida native will use his final year of eligibility elsewhere. Could Alabama circle back and bring in Niblack? That could be a question that arises in the near future.
Five-Star OT Ty Haywood Decommits: What’s Next For Alabama Recruiting?
Five-star offensive tackle Ty Haywood backed off his pledge to the Crimson Tide. What does it mean for the Alabama recruiting class?
The Alabama Crimson Tide put together a solid 2025 recruiting class in the first full cycle under head coach Kalen DeBoer. But the Crimson Tide lost a key piece as star offensive tackle commit Ty Haywood officially backed off his pledge after remaining unsigned through the Early Signing Period.
What’s next for the the Crimson Tide and how does Haywood’s decision affect the Alabama recruiting strategy?
Star OT Ty Haywood Decommits From Crimson Tide
Alabama’s 2025 recruiting class is talented, but there are a few concerning trends for the Crimson Tide. First, the Crimson Tide struggled in their own state, as Auburn won the recruiting battle in the state of Alabama.
Now, star offensive tackle Ty Haywood has officially backed off his pledge to the Crimson Tide. The five-star from Ryan High School in Denton, Tex. had been committed to DeBoer and Alabama since July 14, but after letting the Early Signing Period come and go without inking with the Crimson Tide, it was a foregone conclusion that he’d back off his pledge.
In fact, those within the Alabama building didn’t even consider him a commit after the December signing period. He’s been trending away from the Crimson Tide for weeks and now he’s made it official.
But who could land the highest-rated uncommitted recruit in the 2025 class?
The Michigan Wolverines have some confidence and are expected to host Haywood on Jan. 16. However, the in-state Texas Tech Red Raiders are making a run.
Players want to play with Bryce Underwood and it will be difficult for anyone to beat Michigan for a player the Wolverines want, and want to pay.
What’s Next For Alabama Recruiting?
Alabama is probably going to be okay, but after a four-loss season, DeBoer and company are feeling the heat and want any positive momentum they can get.
Losing one of their top recruits certainly won’t help, but if we step back, we’ll see that things aren’t all doom and gloom in Tuscaloosa.
The Crimson Tide still have three five-star signees in their class, including quarterback Keelon Russell, the third-ranked signal-caller in our 2025 quarterback rankings.
Russell is a college-ready quarterback, who could challenge for a spot atop the Alabama QB depth chart.
Still, it’s always going to sting to lose a potentially elite player, whether to the transfer portal, the draft, or via de-commitment.
DeBoer is under intense scrutiny from a fan base used to Nick Saban. Even though DeBoer has one of the best head coaching records in college football history, he hasn’t been shielded from a fan base that expects to win a national championship every year.
The Crimson Tide should be dangerous in 2025, but will that be enough to keep the metaphorical wolves at bay?
Haywood’s de-commitment is a bigger PR loss than on-the-field miss. The Crimson Tide are equipped to handle a miss or two along the offensive line, but that unit still wasn’t elite in 2024.
Alabama will find elite players. But, if this becomes a trend, it could put DeBoer and his Crimson Tide staff in the danger zone.
