One of the biggest pieces of Nick Saban's final roster at Alabama is looking for a new home elsewhere next season. According to multiple reports Wednesday, Alabama's star true freshman safety Caleb Downs is planning on entering the transfer portal.

Downs will have three years of eligibility at his new school. Alabama has already seen four defensive backs leave in the portal since Nick Saban's retirement and lost defensive backs coach Travaris Robinson to conference rival Georgia. Robinson helped recruit Downs to Alabama when he was a five-star prospect in the Class of 2022, playing at Mill Creek High School in Hoschton, Georgia.

Downs was one of Alabama's best players in a talented secondary in 2023. He totaled 107 tackles two interceptions, three pass deflections and a forced fumble. Downs also took over the punt return duties late into Alabama's season. He returned a punt 85 yards for a touchdown in the Crimson Tide's win over Chattanooga.

Downs was named first-team All-SEC and selected as the conference's Freshman of the Year for his efforts last season. He also earned the Shaun Alexander Award for the best freshman in the country and was named to the Freshman All-America team by the Football Writers Association.

Should Downs stay in the portal and take his talents elsewhere, Alabama's secondary would have to replace its three best players from a season ago. Fellow defensive backs Kool-Aid McKinstry and Terrion Arnold have both declared for the NFL Draft. Senior Malachi Moore is now Alabama's only returning starter in the secondary.

Coercing Downs to take his name out of the portal will now likely be priority number one for Alabama's new coach Kalen DeBoer. Alabama has now seen 24 players enter the portal, including seven since Saban retired. The loss of Downs would be by far the most significant ahead of the Crimson Tide's 2024 season.