Alabama Adds In-State Punter From Transfer Portal

The Alabama Crimson Tide have added North Alabama punter Adam Watford from the transfer portal, according to Andrew Bone of On3 Sports.

Watford is out of Dothan High School and just completed his junior year at North Alabama. He's averaged 43.6 yards on 169 punts over three years with the Lions. 36 of his punts have gone over 50 yards, 42 have been downed inside the 20, and he's drawn 50 fair catches in three seasons. Three of his punts went over 70 yards in the 2025 season. He's rushed twice, once for a 21-yard gain and the other for a loss of eight yards, and kicked off twice.

🚨BREAKING: Alabama lands FCS All-American punter Adam Watford (North Alabama)

Watford averaged 46.6 yards per punt, logged three punts over 70 yards, and set FCS records for both single-season (21) and career (36) punts of 50+ yards.

STORY: https://t.co/325sI3JoP1 pic.twitter.com/OO38X3OfTH
— Andrew Bone (@AndrewJBone) January 9, 2026

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The decorated punter was named Co-Specialist of the Year in the United Athletic Conference as a junior. He was First Team All-Conference in 2025 and Second Team All-Conference while earning FCS Football Central Freshman All-American, Phil Steele Third Team Freshman All-American, and Phil Steele Third Team All-Conference in 2023. He will have one season of eligibility remaining.

Alabama starting punter Blake Doud exhausted his final year of eligibility with the Crimson Tide in 2025 after transferring to Tuscaloosa from the Colorado School of Mines. Doud boomed 52 punts, averaging 42.3 yards per punt in 2025, just below the SEC average of 44.6 yards per punt. Barring further transfer portal decisions, the Crimson Tide now has Watford joining rising sophomore Alex Asparuhov and walk-on Anderson Green for 2026.

Watford was given a 5-star rating by special teams guru Chris Kohl as a prospect, making him an intriguing addition to the Crimson Tide roster.

Watford competed at Kohl’s National Invitational Scholarship Camp in July of 2022 as a pure punter and scored an impressive 108.81 points. He is one of the top punters in the county! In 2021, He averaged over 40 yards with more than 4 seconds of hang time after 24 punts during the charting phases of camp. His ability to maximize his energy into the football is well above his age and it shows with a 5-star rating. We expect big things over the upcoming years from Watford because he has the talent to be a dominant punter at the next level.
Chris Kohl

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Watford becomes the Crimson Tide's sixth transfer portal addition, and second specialist. He joins tight end Josh Ford, running back Hollywood Smothers, linebacker Caleb Woodson, offensive lineman Kayden Strayhorn, defensive lineman Devan Thompkins and long snapper Ethan Sangle.

The transfer portal officially opened on Friday, Jan. 2 and closes on Jan. 16. The spring portal was eliminated in September and will no longer be an option for athletes. Players have until Jan. 16 to submit their names to the transfer portal, it is not a deadline for players to decide where they'll play next.