Alabama TE Marshall Pritchett to Return to Program for Sophomore Season

Pritchett made seven receptions while playing in every game for the Crimson Tide as a true freshman.

Alabama Tight End Marshall Pritchett catches a pass in the second half of the game against Eastern Illinois on November 22, 2025. | Sarah Munzenmaier/Alabama Crimson Tide on SI

Tight end Marshall Pritchett will be spending his sophomore year in an Alabama uniform. A Monday afternoon announcement by Alabama's NIL collective shared the news, along with a statement that said Pritchett "is excited to continue growing and developing with the program."

Pritchett averaged 8.1 yards per catch and totaled 57 receiving yards during his freshman campaign. He played in 15 contests, mainly featuring on special teams, and caught seven passes on the year. Against Eastern Illinois in November, he had four receptions for 33 yards. Six of his seven catches were in home games; the lone exception was a 12-yard grab in the SEC Championship Game.

Along with fellow rising sophomore Kaleb Edwards, Pritchett was one of the less-experienced players in the Crimson Tide's tight end room last offseason. Edwards totaled 150 receiving yards and a touchdown in the 2025-26 season. 2025 starter Josh Cuevas is no longer eligible to play college football, and the position group in the fall will further be without Brody Dalton, Peter Knudson and Peyton Fox.

Cuevas was not available for the SEC Championship Game loss last month, additionally missing the Eastern Illinois game and the Iron Bowl. That pressed Pritchett and Edwards, already on-field regulars, into increased duties. Alabama was 2-1 in those matchups, and Cuevas returned for the College Football Playoff.

Alabama has added two tight ends via the transfer portal this cycle: Josh Ford (Oklahoma State) and Alabama native Jaxon Shuttlesworth (Jacksonville State). Tight ends coach Bryan Ellis also had his role on the coaching staff adjusted; after the departure of Nick Sheridan to become the new offensive coordinator at Michigan State, Ellis became Alabama's new quarterbacks coach.

The Crimson Tide has not lost any players to the portal at the tight end position as of this writing. However, the transfer portal does not officially close until Jan. 16. Other tight ends on the roster this past season were Danny Lewis Jr., Jack Sammarco and Jay Lindsey. Of that group, Lewis has been with the program the longest, since the 2022-23 season. Lindsey started the Eastern Illinois game and received valuable reps last spring as the only healthy scholarship tight end.

Pritchett was a four-star tight end prospect in the 2025 recruiting class. He committed to play collegiately for North Carolina in March of 2024. However, in October of that year, he flipped his commitment from the Tar Heels to the Crimson Tide.