Alabama picked up its first commitment of the offseason from a transfer on Tuesday night. Florida defensive line transfer Kelby Collins chose to commit to the Crimson Tide over Texas A&M.
Collins is an interesting addition to Alabama’s roster. He is an Alabama native that was recruited by the old Alabama coaching staff coming out of Gardendale High School. Alabama defensive line coach Freddie Roach was key in recruiting Collins this time around. The two had already established a relationship in the past, and it had to help Alabama’s chances to land his commitment at the end of the day. Roach was crucial to Alabama being able to bring in arguably one of the best defensive linemen in the transfer portal.
Collins spent two seasons in Gainesville. In his first season in The Swamp, Collins was a Freshman All-SEC selection. He had an impressive freshman campaign for the Gators. He tallied 23 tackles, 1.5 sacks, and 1.5 tackles for loss. His production declined as a sophomore. He played in all 12 games as a true freshman. He played in just six games as a sophomore. Collins recorded just six tackles on the season.
Alabama sees the potential in Collins and will welcome his presence to the defense. With Alabama potentially losing up to four defensive lineman to the NFL Draft, Collins’ arrival could not have come at a better time. At 6-foot-4 and 278 pounds, Collins will likely play a role similar to LT Overton. If Overton decides to return to school, Alabama could decide to get Collins work at both defensive tackle and defensive end. He has the potential to play both positions.
In 2024, Alabama saw a substantial drop-off in terms of players being able to effectively rush the passer. While Collins has only recorded 1.5 sacks, he has shown flashes at both the high school and college level of applying pressure on the quarterback. Alabama will certainly welcome that to its defense next season. I look for Collins to be an immediate impact player once he arrives on campus. Alabama fans should be eager and excited to see what Collins brings to the table for the Crimson Tide.
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Brody Smoot is a team reporter for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “follow” him on X, via @brodysmoot.
