Right Tackle Earns Kalen DeBoer's Praise After Alabama's First Fall Scrimmage

TUSCALOOSA, Ala.— Alabama had the 123rd-ranked rushing offense in all of FBS last season, a mark that glaringly does not live up to the standard that’s been set in Tuscaloosa.

To help combat this issue, third-year head coach Kalen DeBoer went all-in on an overhaul of the offensive line. This included bringing in Mississippi State right tackle Jayvin James via the transfer portal.

The 6’5, 317-pound giant was widely regarded as a 3-star prospect out of high school and played at Akron before transferring to Mississippi State ahead of the 2025 season. He started nine games last year for the Bulldogs, allowing three sacks on the year and providing some impressive run blocking tape.

Now, as James competes for the starting right tackle job at Alabama, he’s caught the eye of DeBoer, who says he’s seen steady progress from the Florida native.

“I think he can become a complete player,” DeBoer said after Thursday's scrimmage. “Just getting better. He doesn’t have any glaring strengths, glaring weaknesses; he’s just a solid player that’s getting better in all facets of the game.”

The Crimson Tide held its first scrimmage of fall camp Thursday, which provided DeBoer and newly hired offensive line coach Adiran Klemm an opportunity to see James and his fellow offensive linemen in a game-like setting.

“Days like today are huge for him,” DeBoer said. “It’s about stacking play after play after play after play, and so I think he’s done that more consistently throughout practice and fall camp.”

DeBoer put a strong emphasis on James’s growth as fall camp has progressed, complimenting the seasoned tackle on the habits that he’s built.

“He’s working at it. You can see the commitment he has with some of his habits,” DeBoer said. “Things that are important to him that can help him be his best. That’s what we ask of all of our guys, but that’s something you certainly see him really growing and understanding how that can impact his play when he gets on the football field.”

While James is the likely starter at the right tackle spot, there is heavy competition to get on the field behind him. This primarily comes in the form of 6’7 Texas transfer Nic Brooks, who was the No. 7 interior lineman in the transfer portal according to 247Sports.

What holds Brooks back is simply experience. The former Longhorn has five games of experience and has been a starter for just three games of his college career.

Last week, Ryan Grubb said that the back-and-forth battle between the two has been a great competition. He gave kudos to both individuals, complimenting Brooks’s athleticism for his size, but called James “one of the most savvy players on the team.”

The competition should be seen as a positive for the unit as a whole, as DeBoer tries to set a new standard up front. For James specifically, it appears that he is progressing nicely with his new team.

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