Alabama center James Brockermeyer enters transfer portal

There’s a new chapter in Alabama’s uncertainty at the center position. After serving as the Crimson Tide’s first-team center this spring James Brockermeyer entered the transfer portal Wednesday. The redshirt junior will have two years of eligibility remaining at his next school.

Brockermeyer participated in just 37 offensive snaps during his three years at Alabama. Last season, the 6-foot-3, 285-pound lineman saw time in all 14 games while serving on the field goal/extra point units. However, he made just three appearances on offense, playing in a combined 28 snaps against Middle Tennessee, Mississippi State and Chattanooga respectively.

Brockermeyer is the second center to transfer from Alabama this offseason, as last year’s starter, Seth McLaughlin, made way for Ohio State in January.

Alabama added Washington transfer Parker Brailsford in January. However, the former Huskies center missed most of spring camp while dealing with non-football-related issues.

Brailsford is coming off a redshirt freshman season at Washington where he was named to the All-Pac-12 second team and earned Freshman All-America honors from Pro Football Focus. The 6-foot-2, 275-pound lineman started 15 games for the Huskies’ Joe Moore Award-winning unit, recording an 80.7 run-blocking grade and a 79.1 pass-blocking mark from Pro Football Focus.

True freshman Joseph Ionata backed up Brockermeyer at center this spring in Brailsford’s absence. Alabama will now likely look to add more depth at the position through the transfer portal.

Brockermeyer signed with Alabama as the No. 4 center in the 2021 class. The Fort Worth, Texas native joined the Crimson Tide along with his twin brother, Tommy, who transferred to TCU last offseason. Tommy, a former five-star recruit, medically retired from football last month.