Alabama defenders provide advice to Crimson Tide's two new transfers
LOS ANGELES — Alabama is still focused on making a run in the College Football Playoff. However, when it comes to keeping up with the rest of the nation, the Crimson Tide can’t afford to wait until the offseason to rebuild next year’s roster.
While Alabama has yet to be as active as other SEC teams in the transfer portal, the Tide has already got things rolling with a pair of major additions this month.
Alabama received its first transfer commitment of the current cycle when it landed five-star edge rusher LT Overton from Texas A&M on Dec. 19. Thursday, the Tide netted another five-star defender as Southern California cornerback Domani Jackson announced his transfer to Alabama.
Jackson’s commitment came on the same day he was seen visiting Alabama during its Rose Bowl practice in Carson, California. Overton was also at practice, as he is already helping out on the Crimson Tide’s scout-team defense.
For the most part, Alabama’s busy schedule has kept players from interacting much with their future teammates. Full introductions will come over the next few weeks once things settle down after the playoff. Still, Tide players are doing their best to ease the transition period for the newcomers.
“We just try to get them adjusted, tell them how it’s like,” starting linebacker Deontae Lawson said. “I’m sure they’ll see once they're at practice and everything.”
Both Jackson and Overton are expected to take on big roles next season as Alabama will likely lose several key players from this year’s defense.
Starting cornerbacks Kool-Aid McKinstry and Terrion Arnold are both projected as first-round picks in next year’s NFL draft, leaving a spot for Jackson to step in as a starter across from Trey Amos, who is likely to return for his final season. Still, that spot won’t be handed to him at Alabama.
“I would just say be ready to come in and work,” starting defensive back Malachi Moore said. “It’s really a unique experience getting to play with the best of the best every day.”
McKinstry said he was excited about the addition of Jackson, who started 11 games this season, recording 33 tackles and three pass breakups. He shared similar advice to his fellow five-star cornerback.
“You’re going to be around good players,” McKinstry said. “You’re going to be around good coaches. I would just say come in, work, keep your head down and trust the process. I think it will work out well.”
Overton should help Alabama restock a front seven that will likely need to replace its three top pass rushers this offseason. The Crimson Tide is set to lose star edge rushers Dallas Turner and Chris Braswell to the NFL draft while starting defensive end Justin Eboigbe will run out of eligibility. Overton offers much-needed SEC experience to the unit, starting four games over 33 appearances at Texas A&M the past two seasons. Over that span, he recorded 48 tackles, three stops for a loss and eight quarterback hurries.
Overton has had more of an acclimation period at Alabama, spending the last couple of weeks with the team. Eboige called the Texas A&M transfer a “great team guy,” stating that he’s been working hard to learn the system while helping to provide a good scout-team look for the offensive line.
Overton’s biggest challenge at Alabama might be bulking up to fit into a new role for the Crimson Tide. The 6-foot-5 defender weighed 280 pounds coming out of high school but dropped down to 265 pounds to play at the edge position for Texas A&M. At Alabama Overton will be asked to play in a role similar to Eboigbe, who is listed at 6-foot-5, 292 pounds.
“We he gets into the winter conditioning, summer conditioning, his body’s going to change,” Eboigbe said. “He’s going to get bigger, going to get stronger. He’s a guy who played edge at Texas A&M, so he’s going to come in and play defensive line, so he’s going have to put a little bit more weight on. I feel like he’s going to be very successful in this system.”
As for his advice to Overton, Eboigbe shares the same message as McKinstry and Moore — come in ready to work.
“There are expectations each and every day,” Eboigbe said. “You’re going to have to come in and work and understand that the expectations of the last place isn’t the expectation here. It’s a grind each and every day. And it’s a competition each and every day because there may be a guy younger than you are or a guy that’s behind you on the depth chart wanting the same opportunity as you.
“So you’ve got to prove each and every day, whether that’s in the weight room, in sprints or whenever you’re on the field. You’ve got to understand that it’s a competition, and that’s what makes us so successful.”