Key Alabama football defensive lineman to enter NCAA transfer portal | Reports

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Alabama football is losing a building block of its defensive line to the NCAA transfer portal.

James Smith, a junior defensive lineman out of Montgomery, is electing to enter the transfer portal with one season of eligibility remaining, per 247Sports.

Smith is the 19th player to enter the NCAA transfer portal, joining Alabama players such as high school teammate Qua Russaw, Jaylen Mbakwe, Richard Young and Jalen Hale.

In three seasons, Smith had 50 tackles, 10 tackles-for-loss and 2.5 sacks. Smith had a career year in 2025, recording a career-high 28 tackles, 6.5 tackles-for-loss and 2.5 sacks.

Smith was leaned upon late in Alabama’s 2025 season, playing at least 35 snaps in the Crimson Tide’s final four games against Auburn, Oklahoma, Georgia and Indiana.

After losing players such as Tim Keenan III and LT Overton on the defensive line, the Crimson Tide front is expected to look much different in 2026 with players such as Edric Hill, Steve Bolo Mboumoua, Isaia Faga and London Simmons expected to return along with freshmen Kamhariyan Johnson, Nolan Wilson and Jamarion Matthews.

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: Alabama DL James Smith to enter NCAA transfer portal

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