Since Nick Saban retired and Kalen DeBoer was hired, the Alabama Crimson Tide hasn’t seen much good news in the transfer portal.
But perhaps DeBoer has stopped the bleeding over the weekend, with no portal entries since Julian Sayin on Friday, followed up by securing two transfers from his former team, Washington.
On Saturday, DeBoer was able to plug one of the biggest needs on the team by landing center Parker Brailsford. Brailsford was a freshman All-American First-Team member and All-Pac 12 Second Team selection as part of the University of Washington offensive line, winning the Joe Moore Award as the nation’s best unit.
RELATED: Alabama LB: DeBoer will lead us to national championships
Brailsford started all 15 games for the Huskies as a redshirt freshman, with 13 of those 15 starts coming at center and the other two at guard.
Brailsford, along with returning starters at guard Tyler Booker and Jaeden Roberts, might form one of the best interior offensive lines in the nation.
After the Brailsford news, DeBoer secured another Washington transfer on Sunday evening, wide receiver Germie Bernard. After the departure of Isaiah Bond, Bernard is huge for Alabama’s receiver unit.
Bernard had 34 receptions for 419 yards and 2 touchdowns, averaging over 20 yards per kick return.
A Las Vegas native, Bernard was a four-star prospect in the class of 2022 and even won Gatorade Player of the Year in Nevada in 2021. He is noted for his ability after the catch and can also be dangerous as a route runner.
Alabama’s pass-catching group will have a new look after Isaiah Bond’s departure, Jermaine Burton’s move to the NFL, and tight end Amari Niblack’s transfer to Texas.
DeBoer appears to be starting to steady the ship and form the roster that will take the field in Tuscaloosa this fall.
Michael Brauner is a Senior Sports Analyst and Contributing Writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @MBraunerWNSP
Don’t miss out! Subscribe today to have Alabama’s leading headlines delivered to your inbox.