Alabama defensive coordinator Kane Wommack watched six starters walk out the door after the Rose Bowl. Nearly half of Alabama’s defensive snaps from last season left with them, 47% in total. So he went shopping, and the portal produced seventeen new Crimson Tide players by late January. The defensive additions carry the heaviest expectations of the bunch. Fall camp opens in a matter of weeks, and a few of these Alabama defensive transfers should make noise immediately.
Why Alabama Went Shopping on Defense
Deontae Lawson, Justin Jefferson, and Nikhai Hi-Green played their final snaps in crimson last season. All three started at inside linebacker, and nobody behind them has meaningful experience. Up front, six linemen transferred out while LT Overton and Tim Keenan III left for the NFL Draft. These exits gutted a unit that allowed just 19.2 points per game, the 20th-best mark nationally. Edge rusher Yhonzae Pierre stays put at his Wolf spot, which softens the blow slightly. Wommack still told reporters in May that the defense sits in a “pretty good place” entering summer. The portal class he assembled is the biggest reason for that confidence.
The Alabama Defensive Transfers With Starting Jobs Waiting
Caleb Woodson tops this list because Alabama has no other proven inside linebacker on the roster. The Virginia Tech transfer finished second on his old team with 58 tackles in just nine games. An injury shortened that season, and the production barely dipped anyway. He racked up 152 career tackles and 11.5 tackles for loss across 35 games. Woodson also began his college career at defensive back, which still shows in his range. Per Bama Hammer, the staff “hit a home run” with this addition. Every projection has him starting, and the defense needs every snap he can give.
Right behind him sits defensive lineman Devan Thompkins, the pick to be the most disruptive of the bunch. The 6′-5″ USC transfer piled up 56 tackles, nine tackles for loss, and 4.5 sacks across 27 games. He also batted down five passes and forced a fumble along the way. Touchdown Alabama already labels him a “for-sure starter” this season. Alabama will likely line him up at the three-technique spot he mastered out west. Thompkins arrives for his final year with real Power Four production behind him. Interior pressure travels, and nobody in this class brings more of it.
The Big Bodies Rounding Out the Front
Terrance Green lands at No. 3 after a numbers game at Oregon pushed him into the portal. The 6′-5″, 330-pounder ranked as the No. 4 defensive lineman available, per 247Sports. Green played the third-most snaps of any Oregon interior lineman last season with 269. The counting stats stay modest at 22 career tackles, and that is normal for a nose tackle. His job is eating blockers, and his 83-inch wingspan was built for exactly that. Green picked Alabama over Cal in January and brings two years of eligibility. The Cypress, Texas native projects as Keenan’s replacement in the middle.
Kendrick Bingely-Jones closes the ranking at No. 4 after finally catching a healthy season. The Mississippi State transfer posted 25 tackles in 2025, his first full year since injuries derailed him at North Carolina. The Charlotte native has already battled through six college seasons. When he plays, the 6′-4″ veteran gives Wommack trustworthy interior reps. Meanwhile, three more names deserve a watch. Edge Desmond Umeozulu arrives from South Carolina, and Caleb Smith comes over from Washington. Corner Carmelo O’Neal makes the jump up from Mercer.
Who Will Make the Biggest Impact?
Woodson is the safest bet to wreck shop, because his snaps are essentially guaranteed. Thompkins is the exciting one, because disruption shows up on every highlight reel. Green might be the most interesting pick, since dominant nose tackles quietly change entire run defenses. At this point, though, the depth itself is the real story. Indiana pushed Alabama around up front in that 38-3 Rose Bowl loss, and nobody has forgotten. Wommack answered by rebuilding nearly half a defense in one offseason without lowering the standard.
Bray Hubbard and Keon Sabb give the back end a proven safety net behind all the new faces. The offensive line rebuild hogs most of the offseason attention on the other side. The offense also returns its most dangerous weapon, which keeps opposing coordinators honest. Alabama fans got an early peek at the new defenders during the spring game, and the reviews leaned positive. For a program with plenty to prove, this transfer class really needs to start hitting from day one.
For now, Bama Nation should circle the front seven when camp opens. If the portal rankings are any indication, Wommack found his difference-makers before anyone else noticed.
Main Image: USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
