Vanderbilt OL Tyler Steen will transfer to Alabama

Alabama secured another big addition from the transfer portal as former Vanderbilt offensive lineman Tyler Steen announced his decision on Friday evening. Steen is the fourth transfer for Alabama. The other three- Jahmry Gibbs, Jermaine Burton and Elias Ricks- are enrolled and have been practicing with the Crimson Tide this spring.

Steen started 33 games during the course of the last three seasons including two years at left tackle. He played on the defensive line during his first season in Nashville. He decided to enter his name in the transfer portal on January 11.

"Outstanding academic grad programs, definitely the competitiveness and the amount the players who have a desire to win," his father, Daris, said on why his son chose the Crimson Tide. "I think he will fit in good down there. He has already formed a relationship with some of the players.

"'He has been talking with some of those guys. He was also at the scrimmage the other day. He wants to be around family and friends. We have some family in the general area. He is very family-oriented. He feels comfortable there."

Steen visited Alabama in March and also returned last weekend. He was originally recruited by former offensive line coach Doug Marrone, but Steen's father said that the Tide's new position coach, Eric Wolford, was in daily contact since joining the staff.

Daris described Coach Wolford as "the closer" and that he was "relentless" in the pursuit of his son. Steen felt comfortable with his future position coach and likes how Wolford will adjust to his strengths as a player.

"We had a really good time with Wolf," his father said., “He and the OC (Bill O'Brien). Coach Wolf is relentless trying to convince Tyler to come be a part of the Tide. He said something really interesting on blocking techniques. We also compared some things to some of the other places.

"He said that he likes to work more toward the strength of the player. Some techniques might work better for some than they do with others and vice versa. He said that he is going to bring out the technique that is most effective for the player and for the scheme they are running."

Steen narrowed his choices to Alabama, Kentucky LSU, N.C. State, UCLA and Virginia before deciding to join the Crimson Tide. He will graduate from Vanderbilt in May before enrolling at Alabama. He is recruited to play offensive tackle in Tuscaloosa.

Steen’s grandfather, Rodney Maxwell Davis, was killed in Vietnam and was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. The Department of Defense named one of its guided missile frigates of the United States Navy after the Marine Sergeant, the USS Rodney M. Davis. Steen shares the same middle name as his grandfather. His father (Darris) also served in the Marines, and Tyler wears his dog tags in every game.

“He has the discipline of a retired marine,” Daris said in an earlier interview with BamaInsider about his son. “He will do whatever it takes to win. He used to be so angry in the locker room when some players weren’t bothered by losing. He has always been a super, sore loser from the time he was five years old.”