Alabama football adds Mercer DB transfer Camelo O'Neal: What to know
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Another big-bodied cornerback is heading to Alabama football.
Mercer defensive back Carmelo O’Neal told On3 Saturday, Jan. 10 he would be transferring to the Crimson Tide for the 2026 season.
O’Neal is Alabama‘s seventh transfer joining defensive players such as former Virginia Tech linebacker Caleb Woodson and USC Devan Thompkins.
Carmelo O’Neal stats
Alabama’s latest transfer add is another big-bodied defensive back.
O’Neal stands at 6-foot-4, 200 pounds as a cornerback, one that finished with 38 tackles, nine pass deflections a sack and a forced fumble for the Bears in 2025.
Per Pro Football Focus, O’Neal was responsible for three touchdown receptions and allowed 32 receptions on 56 targets.
In 2024, O’Neal played 231 snaps across 10 games. He played 75 snaps against Alabama in the Crimson Tide’s 52-7 win, where he had three tackles and allowed no receptions on two targets.
Carmelo O’Neal eligibility: How many years does Alabama get?
O’Neal has two seasons of eligibility remaining after playing two seasons at Mercer.
How Carmelo O’Neal fits with Alabama football
Alabama’s cornerback starters are seemingly set in Zabien Brown and Dijon Lee Jr. Red Morgan, who started late at Alabama’s husky slot corner position, could have his role cemented too.
What O’Neal brings is depth that Alabama needs desperately at cornerback. Behind Lee and Brown is Chuck McDonald III, who mostly played special teams and had one tackle last season and freshmen Jorden Edmonds and Zyan Gibson.
After the loss of Cam Calhoun to the NCAA transfer portal, O’Neal gives Alabama two seasons of a long, large developmental cornerback who has turned heads at Mercer.
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: Mercer DB Carmelo O’Neal transfers to Alabama football: What to know
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