In case you missed it, here is first installment breaking down all of Alabama’s incoming offensive linemen. This first article focused on the freshmen and a JUCO, while today’s piece is focused on the massive haul the Tide got in from the Transfer Portal this year.
With Alabama losing 4 of their 5 starters from a year ago, this is a total overhaul of the position group. Kalen DeBoer and his staff went out to all corners of the country to bolster this room with a mix of players who should be competing
for day 1 starting jobs as well as guys who offer valuable depth.
Kaden Strayhorn
Position: IOL
Transfer School: Michigan
Class: Redshirt Freshman
Stars: 3 (recruit), 3 (transfer)
Hometown: Novi, MI
National Rank: 519 (recruit), 732 (transfer)
Position Rank: 35 (recruit), 46 (transfer)
Height: 6’2”
Weight: 313
Strayhorn was an IMG Academy recruit just one year ago and wound up choosing to go the Michigan over Ohio State and Alabama. In fact, he seemed to be most likely planning to go play for Nick Saban (his dad, Jason Strayhorn, played for Saban at Michigan State), but the GOAT’s retirement had him rethink things and head back north close to home. Deboer and staff apparently kept their relationship with him, though, as after redshirting his freshman year with the Wolverines, he’s working his way back south.
Strayhorn played in two games as a freshman, with his main action coming in the Citrus Bowl against Texas where he got to play nearly the entire game at right guard. He’s a shorter, stout player who looks custom-built to play center, and most likely projects there long term, though he does offer versatility to play guard.
Playstyle
With a full game of play against the Texas Longhorns, Strayhorn’s game and how it will translate to the SEC doesn’t need any projection. He’s a stout guy with exceptional hand fighting technique. He’ll pop and punch defenders in front of him, keeping them off balance without ever really locking in to them. It’s the kind of technique that will keep him from drawing holding calls throughout his career.
He’s at his best when he can downblock someone in front of him and clear out some space to the side to create a hole for a running back, but he’s not bad at pass blocking either and can absorb a power rush from a guy hitting him with a head of steam.
Where Strayhorn gets in trouble is when he has to keep up with someone in space, whether in the passing game or running game. He struggled a couple of times with counter moves across his face while dropping to pass block, and one of his worst moments was being too slow as a pulling guard on a cross-formation backside block and getting his running back cracked.
Essentially, he’s got the power and excellent technique, but is lacking in speed and length, and that limits his options for use.
Scheme Fit and Prediction
I think Strayhorn is best suited long term to be a center, but I think he’ll be a step behind a more experienced guy for that spot. Int he meantime, I think he’ll also be in the competition for a starting guard job, and if he doesn’t win a spot, he’ll be a primary interior rotational guy that gets snaps every game and picks up a few starts if there are injuries.
Ty Haywood
Position: OT
Transfer School: Michigan
Class: Redshirt Freshman
Stars: 4 (recruit), 3 (transfer)
Hometown: Denton, TX
National Rank: 39 (recruit), 189 (transfer)
Position Rank: 6 (recruit), 11 (transfer)
Height: 6’5”
Weight: 312
Interestingly, Haywood is following a similar path as Strayhorn, but with a very different level of hype. Haywood was a 5-star prospect by ESPN (and a high 4-star by the other services) a year ago, and was committed to Alabama for much of his senior year. However, right before National Signing Day, a lot of rumors started swirling that he and Alabama were very far apart in their NIL offerings, and they amicably parted ways with Michigan offering a much bigger deal.
For whatever reason, though, year 1 didn’t go as planned, and Haywood entered the portal and immediately rekindled the relationship with Alabama’s staff. He only played 15 snaps in a blowout, so Haywood is essentially walking in as a legitimate redshirt freshman.
Though he’s generally played tackle all through high school is still listed as a tackle, Alabama’s staff has already mentioned that they were looking at him even as a recruit as someone that they thought could play guard, so don’t be surprised if he winds up moving that way this year.
Playstyle
Haywood was an interesting recruit, as his junior year of high school had him as a high 5-star prospect with his combination of length, power, and quickness. His senior year, though, was an inconsistent one, and the recruiting services dropped him to a 4-star prospect.
If you watch highlights, it’s hard to nitpick. His arms are ridiculously long, he’s got quick feet off the line of scrimmage, and he can overpower anyone in front of him. He doesn’t punch or strike like Strayhorn does, but more locks on and drives. And in pass protection, his feet and arm length make him excellent at keeping up with speed rushers or inside counters.
The word on Haywood has been a lack of consistency. If he puts that together, he’s got all the tools to be an excellent lineman.
Scheme Fit and Prediction
I think that Haywood could easily be a tackle or guard, and his excellent lateral quickness should make him a great fit for Grubb’s counter and power run blocking schemes, especially at guard. I think he’ll be in contention for one of the starting guard spots this year, but I’d consider him more of a longshot and a developmental piece. As only a redshirt freshman, though, he’s a transfer that’s still got plenty of time to develop before it’s make-or-break for him to become a starter.
Racin Delgatty
Position: IOL
Transfer School: Cal Poly
Class: Redshirt Junior
Stars: 3 (recruit), 3 (transfer)
Hometown: La Canada Flintridge, CA
National Rank: 2179 (recruit), 410 (transfer)
Position Rank: 169 (recruit), 29 (transfer)
Height: 6’3”
Weight: 301
Delgatty has been the starting center for Caly Poly the last two seasons, and was named 2nd team All-Big Sky last season, only allowing 14 pressures and 1 sack over the last two seasons. (For reference, Parker Brailsford gave up 16 pressures and a sack during that same time frame) If you put any stock in PFF grades, he’s been one of the better pass blocking centers in the country the last two seasons while also being an adequate/average run blocker. While he will be taking a step up in competition, make no mistake: Delgatty is an experienced and accomplished center at the collegiate level.
Playstyle
One of the most encouraging things about Delgatty is how experienced he is at in a run scheme that has him moving laterally and getting into position quickly. He’s fast out of his snap and then can get down the line to make block, or will get upfield in a hurry to take on a linebacker. He’s not the biggest lineman, but he makes up for it with how hard he plows into defenders when he gets a little space to speed into them.
As a pass blocker, he’s as good as you’ll find at helping his guards with a chip and then taking on a blitzer, and he’s good at using that same quickness to catch up with plenty of stunting or delayed rushers. He does struggle a little with giving ground to a bull rush, but is generally able to stabilize after getting knocked back a few steps.
Scheme Fit and Prediction
As far as replacing Parker Brailsford, you can’t get a much more identical player, so he should be a seamless fit in at the center spot. On top of that, just last week OC Ryan Grubb told the whole world that Delgatty is the odds on favorite to be the starter next year.
“I think during the spring … especially with so many new pieces, you’re trying to find out who the players are, who the guys are and trying to get some semblance of gel to happen,” Grubb said. “But it starts with Jackson and Michael. And then really the center position, Racin Delgatty has been doing an awesome job at center. He’s really taken the reins quickly, so I’m excited to see him out there.”
I’d be shocked if Delgatty isn’t Alabama’s starting center in 2026.
Nick Brooks
Position: IOL
Transfer School: Texas
Class: Sophomore
Stars: 4 (recruit), 4 (transfer)
Hometown: Loganville, GA
National Rank: 239 (recruit), 137 (transfer)
Position Rank: 25 (recruit), 7 (transfer)
Height: 6’7”
Weight: 339
At 6’7” and nearly 340 pounds, Brooks is a mountain of a human. He started a couple of games for Texas last year when stepping in for an injured starter, so he got a little bit of SEC starting experience, though it resulted in pretty rocky results. He was an utter disaster when stepping into his first game against Florida, giving up 9 pressures and a sack. Things got a little better against Oklahoma, but then he gave up 3 sacks to Kentucky. Giving up 20 pressures in 120 pass blocking snaps is bad, to say the least.
He also played 25 snaps against Sam Houston at right tackle, so there is some position versatility for him.
Nick Brooks
At this point, Brooks is massive, and that is his game, for better or worse. On one hand, he looked incredibly slow, indecisive, and even lost on the field, especially when there’s any open grass around him. He really struggled with blitzing interior linebackers just sidestepping around him or being too slow off the snap to get zone block in the run game.
On the other hand, he threw out some exceptionally impressive reps. When matched up 1v1 with Oklahoma’s Jayden Jackson (one of the better nose tackles in the SEC for my money), I saw Brooks utterly dominate the 325-lb nose and wash him out of a rushing lane multiple times. I also saw him pull off a pass block rep where he blocked a defensive tackle with his left hand, then managed block the stunting DE with his right arm, holding them both back for an extra beat while his QB got the ball off.
Scheme Fit and Prediction
To this point, Brooks doesn’t seem like the kind of player that Ryan Grubb has tended to prefer on his offensive lines. His lack of ability in space will make him a liability on counter runs, off tackle power and sweep plays, and he may struggle with blitz pickups.
Still, there’s a lot of upside buried in there with a pure strength that can overwhelm even the best SEC defensive tackles right up the gut, so he’s definitely a guy that’s worth taking a shot on his development.
I don’t expect him to wind up a starter this year, but he’ll be given a shot.
Ethan Fields
Position: IOL
Transfer School: Ole Miss
Class: Redshirt Junior
Stars: 3 (recruit), 3 (transfer)
Hometown: Geismar, LA
National Rank: 1097 (recruit), 475 (transfer)
Position Rank: 84 (recruit), 32 (transfer)
Height: 6’3”
Weight: 319
Fields was a reserve lineman for Ole Miss the last couple of years, and while he’s been a constant presence on special teams for them, he’s only really seen action in a game against the Citadel. To this point, we’ve barely seen anything from him, so he’s mostly an unknown despite entering his 4th year in college.
Playstyle
In his one half of snaps against the Citadel, Fields was fine. He was barely challenged, so it’s tough to glean much. Still, I did notice that he seems to have a good feel for working with the linemen beside him in pass blocking, doing a good job of taking double teams when they’re available. As a blocker, he’s got much longer arms than his 6’3” height would indicate, and he uses them to lock out the guy in front of him.
I also noticed that he has a very strong forward lean when he blocks, which I worry could lead to him getting off balance. It didn’t happen in his one game, but is something to watch out for.
Scheme Fit and Prediction
I think we should view Fields as veteran depth piece and a hedge against injury. He won’t embarrass himself on the field and can contribute on some special teams units, and likely has the capability to work in multiple spots on the OL. But I don’t expect him to be a major contributor or role player.
Jayvin James
Position: OT
Transfer School: Mississippi State (from Akron)
Class: Redshirt Junior
Stars: 3 (recruit), 3 (transfer)
Hometown: Pompano Beach, FL
National Rank: 2319 (recruit), 479 (transfer)
Position Rank: 168 (recruit), 38 (transfer)
Height: 6’5”
Weight: 318
James started his career with Akron, redshirting his first year before becoming a starter in year 2. He had a decent season in his first year starting, then transferred to Maryland, but transferred again to Mississippi State during the spring portal window before the season even started. he then became the full time starter for the Bulldogs at left tackle. It was an up and down season for him, but he was ultimately a decent starter, giving up 25 pressures and 3 sacks.
Playstyle
James is a perfectly competent SEC left tackle, and that’s nothing to sneeze at. He’s quick off the snap and can mirror speed rushers well, cutting off any inside counters and generally running the outside rushers well back behind the QB. He’s also got a powerful first punch, knocking defenders backwards at first contact. He’s capable of handling the edge rushers on an island and in space, and when his team is rushing off tackle, he does a good job of jumping outside of the edge defender and blocking them back inside.
He can struggle a bit with sustaining blocks and didn’t do much straight ahead blocking in the Mississippi State scheme, but still is generally able to generate a decent amount of force with his initial block.
Scheme Fit and Prediction
I find James’s addition interesting. When he was first signed, I expected him to be viewed as an immediate starter at tackle. However, Grubb’s recent comments about Jackson Lloyd really stepping up at left tackle makes me wonder. Could James be the right tackle while Michael Carroll moves inside to guard?
If not, then I expect James is the primary backup tackle to both Lloyd and Carroll…. And he’s going to be very much right on Lloyd’s heels to take over at left tackle if the SEC game speed is too fast for Lloyd.
James may not start the season as a starter, but don’t be surprised if he’s a guy we wind up seeing a lot of anyway, one way or another. He’s not the most high-upside blocker out there, but multiple years of starting experience at left tackle, including a year in the SEC, and doing it generally on an island, is a very valuable skillset.
