Early returns on Alabama transfer portal addition prove the Crimson Tide may have hit a home run at key defensive position
He’s already turning heads in Tuscaloosa.
The Alabama Crimson Tide is in the meat of spring football in Tuscaloosa right now. The storylines of the quarterback position, who will be the starting running back, and what’s going on with Ryan Coleman-Williams are the main talking points.
But what cannot be forgotten is the new additions to the Crimson Tide roster via the transfer portal. Of course, the entire offensive line, aside from Michael Carroll, features new players, and the defensive line has been rebuilt, but what about the linebacking corps? Well, Caleb Woodson was the big addition from the portal, and the early returns are that the Crimson Tide is going to be pleased with its return on investment come September.
LB Caleb Woodson is turning heads in Alabama spring camp
“He is a professional,” Crimson Tide DC Kane Wommack said via the Alabama YouTube channel regarding Woodson. “He is very much about his business and he uses the resources of this program. He is up here a lot, he is around the program. The biggest thing about him is how hard he plays. We are really stressing the effort and finish that we play with. The effort and finish that you see is something that should stand out about our defense. We want to make sure we are elite, and Caleb has really set the tone for those things.”
While everyone was talking about the return of the safety tandem or the new players up front, there seems to be a forgetful nature about the linebacking corps in the middle. Last year, Justin Jefferson and Deontae Lawson were the duo in Wommack’s 4-2-5 scheme.
Both of those players are NFL Draft prospects who have a great shot of being drafted on day three. Just replacing those two with upcoming recruits was always going to be a major task. The Mike and the Sting have to be the tip of the spear in terms of communication, alignment, and leadership.
So hearing that Woodson is showing up, putting in overtime, and playing every rep like he’s a freshman rather than a portal addition is a good sign for Alabama’s defense in 2026.
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