Since Nick Saban’s retirement Alabama’s roster is suffering a mass exodus.
“It hasn't been a slew of no-name, backups that didn't make a splash for Alabama. It's big-time receivers, starting safeties, important offensive linemen - 13 total starters have either graduated, declared for the NFL, or entered the transfer portal. 10 second-string players have done the same.”
28 players have entered the transfer portal, a number before Saban’s announced departure. But it’s after Saban left that players entering the portal were of a higher value and key contributors going into next season. OL Proctor (to Iowa), WR Isaiah Bond (to Texas), CB Dezz Ricks (to A&M), CB Antonio Kite (to Auburn), and most recently, Freshman Caleb Downs, considered by many fans to be the best athlete on the roster and already among the best defensive backs in the nation.
https://twitter.com/TheAuburnDaily/status/1747717871369863458
What I don't understand is... Why?
Is it a lack of belief that Deboer can compete for a NC at 'Bama? I wouldn't think so, because they're leaving for places like Iowa, A&M, and Auburn, who haven't exactly been playoff-caliber, and he just took a far worse roster to the final game.
Is it a situation where they think they're not going to be "the guy"? Obviously not, because a lot of the guys who are leaving were already "the guy". No reason to think entrenched starters will lose their jobs.
Is it NIL? I don't know, I could see A&M having a more compelling NIL than Bama, but Iowa? Maybe that was just to go home. Auburn? They had great NIL before NIL was legal, but are they really out-competing Bama?
I don't get why there would be a mass exodus at all, but more importantly, I'm not sure why'd there be a mass exodus to some of the places these guys are going.
