Alabama Crimson Tide take a swing on small school transfer to help bolster key position group for 2026
Alabama picks up a major win in the transfer portal with experienced center Racin Delgatty committing to the Crimson Tide.
The Alabama Crimson Tide continues to make changes over the offseason and rebuild its roster at several positions.
We’ve already seen several key players on the offensive line leave for the NFL Draft or head to another program in the transfer portal. Alabama has also brought in new faces to fill the holes, and it just got arguably its most important commitment yet to replace a key starter. No matter who starts at quarterback next year, they will have plenty of protection and a new starting center from the transfer portal.
Cal Poly center Racin Delgatty commits to the Crimson Tide
Alabama will have a much newer-looking offensive line in 2026 with Kadyn Proctor, Parker Brailsford, Kam Dewberry, and Jaeden Roberts going pro. Michael Carroll is coming back, thankfully, and is the only starter from last year returning. The Crimson Tide has done a great job bringing in Ty Haywood and Kaden Strayhorn as transfers from Michigan, and just added another huge commitment from an experienced small-school gem. Cal Poly starting center Racin Delgatty committed to the Crimson Tide, and gives it many options up front.
I asked A to Z Sports Alabama writer Rob Gregson for his thoughts on the commitment and what to expect from Delgatty.
“The Alabama Crimson Tide has now secured its 3rd major addition along the offensive line in this transfer portal. Ty Haywood and Kaden Strayhorn are the big additions, but this offensive line grouping needs depth. Delgatty may not be a sure-fire starter in 2026, but he certainly has the potential to make himself into a household name. I expect Alabama to place him at guard, but experimenting with him at center or even tackle is not out of the equation.” – Rob Gregson, A to Z Sports Alabama
Alabama will have options on the offensive line
Strayhorn is projected to be the starting center for Alabama next season, but that’s where Delgatty played the majority of his 1,316 career snaps. The jump from Cal Poly to Alabama may take a little bit of time, but it’s worked out in the past with TE Josh Cuevas as another Cal Poly transfer. The Crimson Tide will at least have options up front with Delgatty’s experience and size. At 6-4, 305 pounds, Delgatty could easily move over to guard or tackle, with Strayhorn being only 6-2, 308 pounds.
Delgatty can move to the second level in the run game and keep the quarterback clean in pass protection with only one sack and 14 pressures allowed in his career. This is an important pickup for Alabama, with so many questions and uncertainty on the offensive line going into 2026.
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