Kalen DeBoerwill be the first to admitJayvin Jameshad a slow start to hisAlabama footballcareer.
James, who played at Mississippi State in 2025, is one of sixCrimson Tidetransfers on the offensive line, many of which will be expected to patch together a line decimated by departures with a new leader inAdrian Klemm.
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But James found momentum, DeBoer said, enough to move cemented starterMichael Carrollinside to right guard as the 2026 season nears.
“(James) really finished off the spring with a lot of momentum, a lot of consistency in his play,” DeBoer told The Tuscaloosa News. “And the confidence that he has now in the offense has gotten better. Seen some success that has really got him kind of going into May here with a level of urgency that you need to have, that he needs to have.”
Transferring to the Bulldogs after two seasons at Akron, James, a redshirt junior who stands at 6-foot-5, 318 pounds, split time between left and right tackle, but played 856 snaps in 2025. He is credited for allowing 25 pressures and three sacks, two of which came against Texas A&M.
“He knows the areas that he has to continue to work on, but he’s got some strengths about him,” DeBoer said. “He’s played a lot of snaps in the SEC, and so he knows what it’s going to be about this fall. He knows what it’s like going out there each and every Saturday.”
Texas transfer Nick Brooks also saw first-team reps at right tackle forAlabamaafter spending his freshman season mostly at left guard.
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Alabama has three starting positions seemingly secured on its offensive line in Carroll, left tackleJackson Lloydand Cal Poly transfer center Racin Delgatty.
Will OL William Sanders return to Alabama football?
While Alabama saw a rotating cast of characters at left guard this spring, an answer seems to be on its way.
Redshirt sophomore William Sanders has missed spring with an undisclosed injury. But DeBoer sees a player rearing to go and fight for playing time.
“Will’s chomping at the bit to get out there on the football field,” DeBoer said. “It was just what he had to do as far as getting him back physically. He’s done that, and we’re going to head into June here and he’s going to be, his level of purpose and intentionality to getting out there is going to be extremely high.”
Sanders has the second-most experience of any returning offensive lineman on Alabama’s roster, playing in all 15 of the Crimson Tide’s games with 185 snaps at left guard and generating 17 knockdowns.
While Mal Waldrep, Casey Poe andOle Misstransfer Ethan Fields repped at guard during spring, DeBoer is ready to see what Sanders can do.
“I’m excited for him to have this opportunity,” DeBoer said. “He’s got perspective now, having gone through last season. Had to take a step back more while he makes his body right. I know he really wants to get out there and kind of go show what he can do.”
Colin Gay covers Alabama football for The Tuscaloosa News, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him atcgay@gannett.comor follow him@_ColinGayon X, formerly known as Twitter.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News:Where Jayvin James, William Sanders stand for Alabama football OL
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