Recruiting Update: Six Incoming Freshmen to Join the Tide This Week

Since the end of the regular season, the Crimson Tide saw some defections in the form of players hitting the transfer portal. All but Aaron Anderson - who the Tide will likely try to convince to stay - have had their names stricken from the roster and will not join the team in New Orleans for the Sugar Bowl. Their losses are some early enrollees’ gains.

Alabama commits QB Eli Holstein, OL Miles McVay, OL Wilkin Formby, OL Ryqueze McElderry, S/TE Bray Hubbard, and DL Hunter Osborne have all graduated high school and will begin practicing with the team on Friday.

These players are thankfully passing up participation in irrelevant high school All-Star games to join the Tide. They are allowed to practice and travel with the team. Thanks to a new rule passed by the NCAA, they can also suit up for the game. However, they are not eligible to play under any circumstances.

The early arrival of these players will be quite useful to the scout teams. With the departures of five Alabama offensive linemen, it will be better to have McVay, Formby, and McElderry practicing against the first team defense rather than risk someone from the two deep. More importantly will be Holstein who will likely be wearing a purple No. 18 jersey to mimic K-State quarterback Will Howard. [ED. NOTE: Alabama is the away team and will wear all white.]

There is a slight chance Alabama could add one or two more this week. Other early enrollees will arrive in January.