CBS Sports’ Cody Nagel listed a pair of former Alabama football players among the most impactful transfers of the portal era.
Nagel ranked Caleb Downs at No. 4. He transferred from Alabama to Ohio State after his freshman season when Nick Saban retired. He led the Tide in tackles as a freshman in 2023 before joining the Buckeyes and becoming a pivotal part of their National Championship-winning defense.
Alabama benefitted from Ohio State losing Jameson Williams after the 2020 football season. Williams went from having 154 receiving yards with the Buckeyes in 2020 to leading Alabama in the category with 1,572 receiving yards in 2021.