Former Oklahoma State Tight End Heading to CFB Blue Blood in Portal

Oklahoma State’s former in-state star is headed to one of college football’s powerhouses.

On Tuesday, On3's Pete Nakos reported that former OSU tight end Josh Ford is heading to Alabama after entering the transfer portal midseason. After two years in Stillwater, Ford still has three years of eligibility left after maintaining his redshirt in 2025 and will be looking to make an impact on one of college football’s top teams.

BREAKING: Oklahoma State transfer TE Josh Ford has signed with Alabama, @PeteNakos reports🐘https://t.co/nyjmPH070Q pic.twitter.com/XWT0aaG2pi
— Transfer Portal (@TransferPortal) December 16, 2025

While the Crimson Tide are in Oklahoma this week, preparing for their College Football Playoff matchup against the Sooners, they got some big news from just up the road in Stillwater in Ford’s commitment. A former four-star recruit out of Stillwater High, Ford was expected to be someone who could transform a typically lackluster tight end spot for OSU into a legitimate weapon for Mike Gundy’s team.

Of course, he only had 15 games to play under Gundy before the program fired him just three games into 2025. While Ford suited up for one more week after Gundy’s firing, he chose to opt out for the rest of the year to pursue his options in the portal, a smart decision considering OSU’s direction.

Although there’s a possibility he could have played a significant role for Eric Morris in 2026 and beyond, it’s hard to pass up a chance to play at a program like Alabama, particularly if the Tide plan to make him a legitimate option in the passing game. Sure, the jump from the Big 12 to the SEC could be a bit much for Ford at first, but he could still prove to be one of the top tight ends in the nation as he was anticipated to be coming out of high school.

Last season, Ford racked up three catches for 45 yards and a touchdown across his four games of action. While his numbers were somewhat underwhelming, the Pokes’ quarterback situation certainly played a factor in his inability to take a leap from his promising freshman campaign, where he caught 10 passes for 92 yards and a touchdown.

With three catches for 23 yards as a freshman against Arkansas, Ford has already shown he has the ability to compete with SEC competition and make an impact, doing so in just his second career game. Now, with the opportunity to play for an elite team in 2026 and beyond, Ford could be ready to take the next step and become a name to remember in the SEC.