LB commit from Texas A&M Prior to the Early Signing Period, Tristan Jernigan considers his options.
This past weekend, Alabama welcomed six official guests, among them Tristan Jernigan (Tupelo, MS), a commit to Texas A&M. Since May, the three-star linebacker has made the Aggies his home. In July, he accepted an offer from Alabama, and the Crimson Tide hasn’t given up on trying to convince the former Alabaman to switch.
Jernigan hadn’t been on campus since the September game against Texas. He explained to Bama247 why Alabama is leading heading into the final stretch.
Jernigan clarified, “Really the standard that they have.” “They triumph and, man, I detest losing. Everything about them is excellent; the school is fantastic. Their educational program is excellent.”
Before signing on December 22, Bama247 found out more about his trip, what he’s looking for in a school, and what the next 11 days will entail:
Anquin Barnes, a defensive lineman for Alabama, logged into the NCAA transfer portal on Monday afternoon, sources told Chris Hummer and Matt Zenitz of 247 Sports.
From Montgomery, Alabama, Barnes is a third-year player who missed his first two seasons due to injury. This season, he made two appearances as a substitute, against Chattanooga and Middle Tennessee State.
Barnes is ranked as the 44th best defensive lineman in the country by 247 Sports, and he is a four-star prospect in the 2021 high school class. He also gave Nebraska, Auburn, Georgia, Tennessee, and Florida some thought.
With defensive lineman Isaiah Hastings and wide receiver Ja’Corey Brooks also entering the NCAA football transfer portal this offseason, Barnes is the third Alabama player to do so. Tyler Buchner, the quarterback, also registered on the NCAA lacrosse transfer website.
Football players from Alabama can use the NCAA transfer portal until five days following their team’s last game, which opened on December 4.
The college football season reaches a peak during the winter, when the transfer market is active and the biggest teams in the country are preparing to compete for national titles. These two things are somewhat related because all of the teams that made the College Football Playoffs did so after bringing in highly regarded transfers to bolster their rosters the previous season.
A few of the top transfers from the previous cycle and some from the previous year are expected to play significant roles in this year’s competition. The two starting quarterbacks, Quinn Ewers of Texas and Michael Penix Jr. of Washington, are among the most influential players from the Playoffs who had other careers.
Although the Playoff teams have not experienced nearly as many transfers leaving as other teams have this cycle, the arrivals and departures through the portal have already had a big impact on the outcomes of a lot of bowl games. The postseason in college football is changing every year, and with the addition of a 12-team playoff, more adjustments are to come.
Although Michael Penix Jr. always seemed like a good fit in Kalen DeBoer’s system, few anticipated that he would succeed as much as he did when he signed with Washington prior to the 2018 campaign. He placed second in the Heisman Trophy voting and is headed for his second consecutive year as the national passing leader.
Ja’Lynn Polk, one of the top three wide receivers for Washington, is a powerful asset in a fast-moving offense. He enters the College Football Playoff with exactly 1,000 yards and eight touchdowns this season.
Prior to Cameron Davis’ season-ending injury before the season began, Dillon Johnson was projected as Washington’s No. 2 running back, and he made the most of his opportunity. Johnson led the Pac-12 with 1,113 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns on the ground. He also ranked third in the conference.
After playing cornerback for Oklahoma State, Jabbar Muhammad made an immediate impression upon enrolling at Washington for his final year of eligibility. The seasoned player finished the regular season tied for second place in the Pac-12 in passes defended. He also recorded three interceptions for the year, two of which came during a standout performance against Oregon State.
Quinn Ewers, a former No. 1 overall recruit, has been a highly sought-after prospect twice, most recently as a top-two transfer in the competitive 2022 class. Despite struggling with injuries during his first two years at Texas, Ewers gained experience and is currently playing some of his best football of his career. He might be a front-runner for the Heisman Trophy in 2024 if he continues on this current trajectory.
