After barely suiting up in the 2025 season, Alabama was able to win back a previous commit, and bring him back to Tuscaloosa.
If it’s meant to be, then it’s meant to be. Just give it time, and then it will be.
After getting crushed in the transfer portal yesterday, the Alabama Crimson Tide secured a commitment from five star offensive tackle Ty Haywood, who was previously committed to the University of Michigan.
Prior to committing to the Wolverines, Haywood was actually committed to Alabama. He signaled his commitment to the Tide in July 2024, before ultimately switching to Michigan in February 2025.
Speculation ran wild that Haywood received a hefty NIL package in the winter of 2025, which ultimately led to his decommitment to Alabama. But the 6-foot-5, 315 pound tackle hardly saw the field.
He only recorded 15 snaps against Central Michigan, Maryland and Texas. Especially with the untimely firing of head coach Sherrone Moore, it felt like the stars were aligning for Haywood to find a new place to play.
The addition of Haywood is crucial to Alabama, a program that’s rebuilding its offensive line from scratch.
The Crimson Tide lost both Kadyn Proctor and Parker Brailsford to the NFL Draft, Jaeden Roberts, Geno VanDeMark and Kam Dewberry all ran out of eligibility, and Wilkin Formby entered the portal to join Texas A&M.
Not only that, their depth took a fatal blow, as Roq Montgomery, Olaus Alinen, Micah DeBose, Joseph Ionata and Arkel Anugwom also decided to enter the portal.
So you can certainly imagine the scrambling that head coach Kalen DeBoer and general manager Courtney Morgan have had to do to build a foundational roster that can be sustained throughout a season.
Even though he grew up in Denton, TX, he was an Alabama fan growing up.
“I’ve been a Bama fan since I was little,” he said in an interview in September 2024. “[It was] probably the first team I seen on the television, and it made me a fan. And from that day forward, even through the losses, the wins… all the wins… A whole side of my room is Alabama. And me being committed here is a dream come true.”
Haywood was certainly a piece of the future that DeBoer had planned, so to have him back in the fold is only a positive.
Coming to Tuscaloosa, this possibly opens the door for Haywood to start. DeBoer has expressed in the past that this game is a results-based business, so Haywood would need to win it over. But given the lack of depth, and the losses in the portal, he may be an optimal option.
For Haywood, landing in Tuscaloosa was supposed to be the plan all along before Michigan came knocking.
As we’ve seen in the past, DeBoer isn’t afraid to play anyone, as long as they’re earning it. He started multiple true freshmen last season, so if Haywood proves it, he just may see the field quickly.