Alabama football newest 2027 tight end commit expects to be developed

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Colt Lumpris remembers watching a lot of University of Connecticut football growing up.

The 2027 tight end grew up in Tolland, Connecticut, less than 15 minutes from the UConn campus, and he remembers watching every single Huskies football game. But it was not out of a desire to be on that stage one day. 

“I never really thought of it as, ‘This would be me one day,’” Lumpris told The Tuscaloosa News. “I thought I was going to go to (a) public high school and just live a normal life.” 

Lumpris grew into anything but “normal,” arriving at The Lawrenceville School in New Jersey as a 6-foot-4, 190-pound freshman and growing into a 6-foot-7, 235-pound all-around weapon, one Alabama football wanted on its roster. 

Lumpris joined Alabama’s 2027 recruiting class Tuesday, Dec. 9 as a four star tight end — who has never been a tight end in name, but whatever the Big Red needs him to be on offense. 

And it’s exactly what the Crimson Tide want in a tight end. 

“He knows he’s going to go down there and get developed and play at the highest level,” The Lawrenceville School football coach Napoleon Sykes Jr. said. “And he’s got the skill set to play at that level. … I mean, the kid’s 6-7, 235 pounds and he’s running in the 4.5s, 4.6s at times.” 

Development was the biggest thing that drew Lumpris to Alabama in the first place. 

Alabama was a dream school, watching the Nick Saban-led Crimson Tide as a kid when he wasn’t watching the Huskies. But Alabama always represented something more. It represented the best, a chance to compete against the best. 

Lumpris attended an Alabama spring practice in March, one where he secured an offer from tight ends coach Bryan Ellis. And while he “loved the feeling” in Tuscaloosa and “felt the connection with the players,” development was at the forefront of the 2027 tight end’s mind. 

As Lumpris neared a decision, working through checklists with his family as they watched football together, it was the reason why Alabama rose above the rest. 

“I definitely see myself developing there,” Lumpris said. 

Sykes knows Lumpris is ready for whatever Alabama asks of him at the next level. 

Lumpris lined up as a slot and outside receiver at The Lawrenceville School. He had his hand in the dirt and played H-back. He even took snaps from the backfield. 

Abiding by the Big Red’s “1.5 rule” where players moonlight and learn other positions, Lumpris also played outside linebacker and worked as the team’s down-on-the-line rusher on defense. 

Lumpris was pushed to the brink at The Lawrenceville School, Sykes said. Lumpris not only knows what he’s doing at multiple positions, but why. But Lumpris knows where his home is. 

Lumpris describes himself as “a red zone threat.” If the ball is in the air, he’s going to go get it. 

That is what Lumpris plans to do at Alabama, on a stage he didn’t think was possible when he was a kid watching UConn football. 

“I definitely want to put where I’m from on the map,” Lumpris said. “Let people know that anything is possible if you put your mind to it.” 

Colin Gay covers Alabama football for The Tuscaloosa News, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at cgay@gannett.com or follow him @_ColinGay on X, formerly known as Twitter. 

This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Why 2027 TE Colt Lumpris committed to Alabama football

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