Jumbo Package: NCAA adopts five year, age based eligibility rule
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Happy Gump Day, everyone. Labaron Philon became Alabama’s first NBA Draft pick since 2023 last night, chosen 22nd overall by the Philadelphia 76ers. Here’s what Philly brass had to say about him.
Gansey said Philadelphia had Philon “a lot higher” on its draft board.
“I think this is a really deep draft, at least in the top 20-ish range of guys,” Gansey said. “And you know, Labaron was one of the best players in the country at the guard position, and a little bit surprised he fell to us. But there’s so many good guards in this draft, where all those guys that went maybe in the teens, they might be top 10 in normal drafts. But just with the depth, especially at the guard position, he was just someone we couldn’t pass up.”
Emilee Smarr further examined why Philon went a bit lower than initially expected.
Although Philon was listed as 6-foot-4 on Alabama‘s roster, he measured out to 6-2 1/2 barefoot at the NBA Draft Combine in May. UA also billed Philon at 185 pounds. At the combine, he weighed in at 176. The numbers beg the question of whether Philon, who quietly struggled with injury for the entirety of his sophomore season with the Crimson Tide, can physically withstand an NBA schedule.
Additionally, Philon is better known for making plays when the ball is in his hands than he his for distributing the ball to his teammates around the court as a true point guard, although he led Alabama to another Sweet 16 with a team-high five assists per contest.
He is a bit slight in build, and that hurt him. He will have time to get his sea legs and add some weight playing on that roster.
The other big news of the day was the NCAA officially adopting the five year, age based eligibility rule that has been discussed.
The NCAA voted one of its most significant eligibility changes ever on Tuesday.
Under the new rules, players will be granted five years of eligibility to be completed within five years of high school graduation or an athlete’s 19th birthday, whichever comes first. There would be limited exceptions for factors like religious missions, maternity leave and military service.
In effect, the new rule eliminates redshirts across college sports. Under the previous system, athletes had five years to compete over four years. There would not be further waivers for injury or other extenuating circumstances.
This rule is clear and should hopefully reduce litigation substantially, though there are already rumblings of a challenge by seniors who just ran out of eligibility, whom the NCAA decided to explicitly exclude and not award a fifth season.
Colin Gay looked at how Alabama’s roster will be affected.
For many members of the Alabama roster, the rule change added an extra year of eligibility.
While Crimson Tide sophomores like Lotzeir Brooks, Dijon Lee Jr., Justin Hill and Michael Carroll are expected to have four years left instead of three, and juniors like Ryan Coleman-Williams, Zabien Brown and Daniel Hill are expected to have three years left instead of two, seniors Bray Hubbard, Caleb Woodson, Adam Watford and Desmond Umeozulu would also have another season of eligibility after 2026 if they want it.
Alabama landed a couple of three-star recruits yesterday, which should definitely turn down some of the noise. Sorry, no sarcasm font up here.
Standing at 6-foot-5, 230 pounds, Younger is a prototype of what Alabama wants off the edge.
His stats are not dominant, reporting 16 tackles, 4½ tackles-for-loss and 2½ sacks across 10 games for Greater Atlanta Christian School as a junior, per MaxPreps. But it’s Younger’s body type that can be molded into either a Bandit defensive end or WOLF outside linebacker under the tutelage of Christian Robinson.
Alabama was one of five finalists for Willis. The Crimson Tide beat out South Carolina, UCLA, Virginia and Virginia Tech for his commitment.
The 247 composite rankings tabbed Willis as the No. 83 interior offensive lineman in the 2027 class. He’s rated as the No. 46 player in the state of Alabama.
Willis joined the class the same day as the Tide also made a defensive addition. Tyler Younger, a defensive edge from Greater Atlanta Christian School in Georgia, also a three-star prospect, announced his pledge to Alabama Tuesday morning.
Matt Stahl wrote about Caleb Woodson in the “50 players” series.
Some less experienced players will surely see action, whether QB Reese, Luke Metz, Abduall Sanders or someone else from the Crimson Tide’s young group. But as a stabilizing move, Alabama’s coaches looked toward the transfer portal, where they were able to secure Woodson.
The veteran was a starter and team captain at Virginia Tech last season. According to Kalen DeBoer, he has already made his presence known in Tuscaloosa.
“Bringing in Caleb as a captain-type guy, his leadership coming in has been certainly noted and appreciated,” DeBoer said. “Those guys all together, learning things together. Just excited. They’re hungry, just like any of the other positions we’re talking about. Like the offensive line, there’s a lot of new faces there for opportunities.”
Chris Hummer of CBS tabs Jayvin James as Alabama’s most critical portal addition.
Jayvin James, OT, Mississippi State
This could easily also include Nick Brooks, a Texas transfer who is also in the mix to start at tackle for Alabama. Either way, the o-line needs to improve for Alabama to reach its offensive potential. Alabama surrendered more pressures than any team in the SEC last season and ranked 126th nationally in yards per carry. That was with a first-round pick at left tackle, by the way.
With only one o-line starter returning, the new-look unit, which could include as many as three transfers, needs to be better. James could be the swing player for the o-line. He has starting left tackle experience in the SEC, having played 855 snaps for Mississippi State last year. But he was just solid with a 58.2 PFF grade. James, along with Alabama’s other o-line transfers, needs to help the offense instead of putting so much on inexperienced quarterbacks.
Kalen DeBoer has reportedly added another staffer.
Alabama has hired Louisville graduate assistant Noah Fisher to serve as assistant tight ends coach, according to CBS Sports.
Fisher spent the last two years with the Cardinals working with both the offensive line and tight ends and will now bring that experience working under noted offensive mind Jeff Brohm to the SEC.
What makes this move particularly interesting is the connection that’s already in place in Tuscaloosa.
Fisher will be reuniting with Richard Owens, who coaches the tight ends for Kalen DeBoer’s Crimson Tide staff.
Assistant tight ends coach, or assistant TO the tight ends coach?
Stewart Mandel ranked the best college football teams of the 90s.
10. 1992 Alabama (13-0)
AP All-Americans: DE Eric Curry, DE John Copeland, CB Antonio Langham, S George Teague
Signature wins: vs. No. 3 Miami (34-13 in the Sugar Bowl), vs. No. 10 Florida (28-21), at No. 12 Tennessee (17-10), vs. No. 16 Ole Miss (31-10)
Gene Stallings’ Crimson Tide weren’t flashy — QB Jay Barker threw for just 1,647 yards — but they had a nasty defense that allowed just 9.4 points and 55 rushing yards per game. Despite winning the first SEC Championship Game, they were 8.5-point underdogs against a Miami team then on a 29-game winning streak. Bama intercepted Heisman winner Gino Torretta three times, one a pick six by Teague, who also had an epic strip of Miami receiver Lamar Thomas in a humbling rout of the Canes.
‘95 Nebraska is its own animal, but that ‘92 Alabama squad is special to many.
Last, it turns out that Brendan Sorsby won’t have anywhere to play football in 2026.
The Brendan Sorsby saga took another surprising turn after the NFL elected to not hold a supplemental draft in 2026.
Sorsby applied for the supplemental draft three business days before the June 22 deadline, but the NFL wrote in a letter to the quarterback that his petition was “without any supporting information or documentation, and only after abandoning your recent litigation efforts to avoid NCAA sanctions.” Sorsby’s attorney, Jeffrey Kessler, told ESPN that the NFL’s decision to not hold a supplemental draft “is a violation of the CBA and the law. We will pursue this immediately with the NFLPA.”
Actions have consequences. Who knew?
That’s about it for now. Have a great day.
Roll Tide.
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