Done deal: Alabama Used The Spring Transfer Portal Window To Solve Its Offensive Line Requirements

He was full of rookies down the depth chart, but he will bring vital experience to an interior offensive line that already included veterans Tyler Booker and Jaeden Roberts. In response to a question on the Crimson Tide’s spring transfer portal window approach, head coach of Alabama football Kalen DeBoer identified two position groupings. UA required more players in the defensive backfield, but they also needed more players up front.

DeBoer remarked, “Offensive line, we’re probably a guy short.” “Just based on the numbers you usually see and our desired outcome.”
This closes the spring entry window. James Brockermeyer did leave Alabama, but all in all, Alabama came out on top by one guy.
Here are the details on the two offensive line additions the Crimson Tide made during the spring window.

Following his unusually short stay with the Hawkeyes, Proctor headed to one of college football’s worst-kept secrets. He could officially announce it when the spring portal window opened: Alabama’s starting left tackle from 2023 would be returning to Tuscaloosa.

Proctor has made “amazing amount of improvement,” according to former Alabama tackle JC Latham. “When he first arrived, he was a little puppy, and from summer camp to autumn camp and beyond, he just had the flexibility to change course and keep things moving. You may observe the progress immediately by comparing the most recent game to the previous one.

After his true freshman season ended, Proctor had gone through the portal. He had started all of the Crimson Tide’s games in 2023, showing signs of improvement after some early setbacks as UA advanced to the SEC title game and the College Football Playoffs.

The NCAA presently permits unlimited free transfers, so he can start playing right away at Alabama. Proctor will return to Alabama’s starting left tackle position right away.

DeBoer and company also attempted to strengthen the middle of the offensive line, with Proctor providing support on the outside. Let’s introduce VanDeMark, a former player for UA under Chris Kapilovic, the offensive line coach at Michigan State.

For the Spartans the previous season, the 6-foot-5, 325-pound VanDeMark started six games. In Tuscaloosa, he will be eligible for two seasons.

VanDeMark, according to the 247Sports composite, was a three-star talent coming out of high school. Among the offers he received were from Arizona State, Georgia Tech, Louisville, and Michigan State; he ultimately decided on Kapilovic and Michigan State.

He was full of rookies down the depth chart, but he will bring vital experience to an interior offensive line that already included veterans Tyler Booker and Jaeden Roberts.