Nick Saban and Alabama football opened spring practice today in Tuscaloosa.
Coach Saban spoke to reporters in a presser afterward, and he came away impressed with the Crimson Tide’s three additions from the NCAA transfer portal.
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Jermaine Burton (wide receiver), Jahmyr Gibbs (running back), and Eli Ricks (cornerback) looked good on the field. Burton looked comfortable catching passes from Bryce Young, Gibbs worked quickly through bags in running back drills, and Ricks showed command of Alabama’s secondary. All three players have experience in college football, and Saban grabbed them in positions of need for the Tide. He said all three looked “impressive” after the first day of practice.
“All three transfers will create a role on the team for themselves,” Saban said. “When you talk about older guys that have played in this league or the ACC, I think those three guys will be very helpful for us.”
Burton played for two seasons at the University of Georgia.
He caught 53 passes for 901 receiving yards and eight touchdowns. Ricks played in 16 games at Louisiana State University, posting 31 tackles, six pass breakups, and five interceptions. He recorded four picks as a freshman in 2020.
Gibbs totaled 1,800 all-purpose yards and seven touchdowns in 2021 at Georgia Tech.
All three look to make a mark on the Alabama program, and they’re off to a good start.
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Stephen M. Smith is the managing editor and senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
