Kalen DeBoer tells why Alabama added two tight ends from portal in spring window

Photo by Kent Gidley - Alabama Athletics

Alabama football and Kalen DeBoer added two tight ends from the transfer portal after wrapping up spring football.

The Crimson Tide recently signed both Brody Dalton and Jack Sammarco.

Sammarco entered the transfer portal on April 17 after a year at West Virginia and committed to Alabama. He pulled in one reception for four yards during his true freshman season in 2024. Dalton started in eight games for Troy in 2024 and finished the season with three touchdowns and 188 yards on 15 receptions before transferring to Alabama.

The Tide concluded the spring with only one healthy scholarship tight end, and it was very clear they would attack the position in the portal. DeBoer said why they went with this pair of tight ends while talking with media members Wednesday at the Regions Golf Tournament.

“The potential to kind of have a little bit of young and old and then also just a little bit more size,” DeBoer said. “You lose CJ (Dippre) and Robbie (Ouzts) at tight end, those guys got some good size. Danny (Lewis) wasn’t able to do the work that we had hoped with the injury. It’s not his fault or anything like that, but we just wanted to make sure we got enough depth and enough options as we go through the summer. Many of the guys that weren’t working out this spring are still not full go until probably closer to camp. That’s critical for us to be able to get the work in this summer was to bring some guys in. Those two that joined us here after spring ball, really looking forward to them getting to work. They’re great kids. And again, one younger, one older, but I think they both have a body type that’s a little bit bigger, put some good weight on them and play both with their hand in the dirt, play off the ball, versatile that way.”

Dalton and Sammarco look to have an opportunity to carve out a role for themselves as depth pieces and contributors for the Tide in 2025.

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