Building an elite college football roster requires a meticulous year-round approach. Inside the Mal M. Moore Athletic Facility in Tuscaloosa, the assembly of the 2026 Alabama Football Roster represents a careful blend of highly rated high school signees, targeted veteran transfer portal additions, and returning foundational leaders. Navigating a rigorous Southeastern Conference (SEC) schedule demands exceptional structural depth at every single position on the gridiron.
For dedicated fans looking to connect names with jersey numbers on game days at Bryant-Denny Stadium, track player eligibility, or analyze developmental trends following spring camp, having access to an accurate, easy-to-read player index is essential.
This comprehensive guide delivers a complete positional breakdown of the Crimson Tide’s 2026 squad, identifies under-the-radar players to watch, and details the high-stakes position battles taking center stage this season.
Alabama Football Quick Facts Matrix
| Item | Details |
| Head Coach | Kalen DeBoer |
| Conference | Southeastern Conference (SEC) |
| Roster Dynamics | High youth concentration (only 9 seniors total) |
| Key Offensive Returner | Michael Carroll (OL) |
| Marquee Portal Additions | Noah Rogers (WR), Ivan Taylor (DB), Ty Haywood (OL) |
Roster Transitions: Major Departures
The 2026 roster marks a fresh start for the Crimson Tide. The program saw a massive wave of veteran players depart following the conclusion of recent campaigns, with ten individual products moving on to the NFL Draft or exhausting their collegiate eligibility. High-profile contributors from past seasons—including Jalen Milroe, Ty Simpson, Kadyn Proctor, Parker Brailsford, Jihaad Campbell, Deontae Lawson, and Malachi Moore—are no longer on the active roster. This shift opens the door for a highly anticipated youth movement across the depth chart.
2026 Alabama Football Roster By Position
Official Depth Chart Notice: The official, definitive depth chart will be updated after preseason camp concludes. The layout below reflects the active roster groupings ahead of regular-season operations.
Quarterbacks & Running Backs
The offensive backfield features a total changing of the guard, with young, explosive arms and tough runners taking over the system.
Quarterbacks (QB)
- #10 Austin Mack | Junior (RS) | 6’6″ | 232 lbs | Loomis, CA (Transfer from Washington)
- #12 Keelon Russell | Freshman (RS) | 6’3″ | 205 lbs | Duncanville, TX
- #15 Jett Thomalla | Freshman | 6’4″ | 210 lbs | Little Rock, AR
- #19 John Cooper | Junior | 6’2″ | 205 lbs | Mountain Brook, AL
Running Backs (RB)
- #4 Daniel Hill | Sophomore (RS) | 6’1″ | 235 lbs | Meridian, MS
- #6 Kevin Riley | Sophomore (RS) | 5’11” | 198 lbs | Northport, AL
- #0 AK Dear | Freshman (RS) | 6’1″ | 215 lbs | Quitman, MS
- #20 Khalifa Keith | Junior (RS) | 6’1″ | 230 lbs | Birmingham, AL (Transfer from App State)
- #13 EJ Crowell | Freshman | 5’11” | 205 lbs | Carver, AL
Pass Catchers: Wide Receivers & Tight Ends
Alabama’s aerial attack relies on premium route runners out wide matched with versatile, physical targets along the seam.
Wide Receivers (WR)
- #1 Ryan Williams | Junior | 6’0″ | 182 lbs | Mobile, AL
- #5 Noah Rogers | Junior (RS) | 6’0″ | 195 lbs | Rolesville, NC (Transfer from NC State)
- #3 Lotzeir Brooks | Sophomore | 5’11” | 180 lbs | Millville, NJ
- #30 Derek Meadows | Sophomore | 6’5″ | 215 lbs | Las Vegas, NV
- #7 Rico Scott | Sophomore (RS) | 6’0″ | 198 lbs | Harrisburg, PA
- #8 Cederian Morgan | Freshman | 6’4″ | 223 lbs | Alexander City, AL
Tight Ends (TE)
- #87 Danny Lewis Jr. | Senior (RS) | 6’4″ | 255 lbs | New Orleans, LA
- #81 Kaleb Edwards | Sophomore | 6’5″ | 240 lbs | El Dorado Hills, CA
- #88 Jay Lindsey | Sophomore (RS) | 6’5″ | 245 lbs | Butler, AL
- #9 Marshall Pritchett | Sophomore | 6’5″ | 246 lbs | Charleston, SC
- #40 Josh Ford | Junior | 6’5″ | 250 lbs | Oklahoma State (Transfer)
Line of Scrimmage: Offensive & Defensive Lines
Success in the SEC remains dictated by trench warfare. The Crimson Tide have extensively rebuilt both lines via the transfer portal.
Offensive Line (OL)
- #64 Michael Carroll | Sophomore | 6’6″ | 315 lbs | Doylestown, PA (Returning Starter)
- #77 Jackson Lloyd | Freshman (RS) | 6’7″ | 310 lbs | Gilbert, AZ
- #70 William Sanders | Sophomore (RS) | 6’5″ | 305 lbs | Brookwood, AL
- #50 Casey Poe | Sophomore (RS) | 6’5″ | 310 lbs | Lindale, TX
- #55 Racin Delgatty | Junior (RS) | 6’4″ | 312 lbs | Cal Poly (Transfer)
- #79 Kaden Strayhorn | Freshman (RS) | 6’3″ | 295 lbs | Michigan (Transfer)
- #72 Ty Haywood | Freshman (RS) | 6’5″ | 315 lbs | Michigan (Transfer)
- #71 Nick Brooks | Sophomore | 6’7″ | 345 lbs | Texas (Transfer)
Defensive Line (DL)
- #20 Jah-Marien Latham | Graduate | 6’3″ | 282 lbs | Mobile, AL
- #22 Kedrick Bingley-Jones | Senior (RS) | 6’4″ | 310 lbs | Charlotte, NC (Transfer)
- #90 London Simmons | Sophomore | 6’3″ | 295 lbs | Flowood, MS
- #94 Edric Hill | Junior (RS) | 6’3″ | 294 lbs | Kansas City, MO
- #92 Jeremiah Beaman | Sophomore (RS) | 6’4″ | 290 lbs | Birmingham, AL
Defensive Backs & Linebackers
A dynamic, aggressive secondary works hand-in-hand with an athletic off-ball linebacker group.
Linebackers (LB)
- #0 Yhonzae Pierre | Junior (RS) | 6’3″ | 239 lbs | Eufaula, AL
- #8 Justin Hill | Sophomore | 6’3″ | 244 lbs | Cincinnati, OH
- #23 Cayden Jones | Junior | 6’4″ | 230 lbs | Christmansburg, VA
- #7 Caleb Woodson | Senior | 6’3″ | 238 lbs | Virginia Tech (Transfer)
- #36 QB Reese | Sophomore (RS) | 6’0″ | 225 lbs | Birmingham, AL
- #11 Xavier Griffin | Freshman | 6’4″ | 225 lbs | Gainesville, GA
Defensive Backs (DB)
- #6 Red Morgan | Junior | 6’0″ | 189 lbs | Phenix City, AL
- #2 Zabien Brown | Junior | 6’0″ | 180 lbs | Santa Ana, CA
- #3 Keon Sabb | Senior (RS) | 6’1″ | 208 lbs | Glassboro, NJ (Transfer)
- #13 Ivan Taylor | Sophomore | 6’0″ | 180 lbs | Winter Garden, FL (Transfer)
- #5 Dijon Lee Jr. | Sophomore | 6’4″ | 190 lbs | Mission Viejo, CA
- #19 Chuck McDonald III | Freshman (RS) | 6’1″ | 197 lbs | Santa Ana, CA
Special Teams Specialists
Consistency in the kicking game and field-position control anchor the special teams unit.
- #31 Conor Talty | Placekicker | Sophomore (RS) | 6’1″ | 195 lbs | Chicago, IL
- #32 Alex Asparuhov | Punter | Sophomore | 6’3″ | 210 lbs | Fresno, CA
- #44 Alex Rozier | Long Snapper | Junior | 6’4″ | 230 lbs | Hattiesburg, MS
Projected Starting Lineup & Players to Watch
With intense training camp competitions underway, certain names are establishing themselves as foundational pillars for the 2026 season strategy.
Projected Offensive Lineup
- Quarterback: Austin Mack
- Running Back: Daniel Hill
- Wide Receivers: Ryan Williams, Noah Rogers, Lotzeir Brooks
- Left Tackle: Jackson Lloyd
- Left Guard: William Sanders
- Center: Racin Delgatty
- Right Guard: Ethan Fields / Casey Poe
- Right Tackle: Michael Carroll
- Tight End: Kaleb Edwards
Premium Players to Watch
- Jackson Lloyd (LT): Head coach Kalen DeBoer named Lloyd the starting left tackle early in spring drills. Stepping into the shoes of departed draft picks, his ability to lock down the blindside determines the ceiling of the offensive system.
- Austin Mack (QB): Bringing past experience within DeBoer’s structural systems, Mack has the pure size and arm talent to direct the pro-spread passing offense at an elite level.
- Red Morgan (DB): A reliable defender down in the box and out in space, Morgan’s leadership in a heavily modified secondary is essential to preventing explosive plays.
New Transfer Portal Additions & Freshmen Class Analysis
Roster building under Kalen DeBoer places a clear premium on selective portal upgrades and high-school retention.
Key Transfers
The incoming transfer class injects immediate veteran experience into clear areas of need. Wide receiver Noah Rogers arrives from NC State to add a reliable downfield vertical threat, while defensive back Ivan Taylor gives the safety rotation elite range. Along the front line, the additions of Nick Brooks (Texas) and Ty Haywood (Michigan) ensure that depth along the interior remains standard for SEC play.
Highly Touted Freshmen
The freshman class features high-upside weapons ready for immediate special teams and situational rotation. Linebacker Xavier Griffin and defensive back Jireh Edwards stood out during spring exhibition windows, flashing the raw closing speed needed to crack the secondary defensive units.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Who is projected to be Alabama’s starting quarterback in 2026?
Junior Austin Mack is projected to lead the offense, holding deep familiarity with coach DeBoer’s passing system. He is pushed in camp by talented underclassman Keelon Russell.
How many returning starters does Alabama have for the 2026 season?
Alabama has historically low starting retention this year, returning only Michael Carroll as an established starter on offense along with a handful of situational defensive rotation players.
Did Jalen Milroe or Kadyn Proctor transfer?
No, previous anchors like Jalen Milroe, Kadyn Proctor, and Malachi Moore have moved on from the college program to pursue professional opportunities, opening up structural vacancies on the active 2026 roster.
Final Thoughts
The 2026 Alabama football roster represents a youth movement guided by Kalen DeBoer’s schematic vision. While the roster lacks the high-profile veteran familiarity of past seasons, the pure collection of high-school talent and elite portal additions balances the depth chart perfectly. As fall camp concludes, watching these position battles settle will offer an exciting preview of the program’s long-term future.
Be sure to check back right here as the season approaches; player weights, permanent numbers, and depth designations will be adjusted live as the athletics branch issues official updates.
Internal & External References
- Internal Linking Ideas: Connect anchor text like “Alabama Football Schedule” to your full regular-season dates and kickoff windows page. Connect “SEC Championship” text to your conference standings tracker.
- External Authority Sources: Verify live player data trends directly through Rolltide.com or explore team history via the National Football Foundation.
