Alabama's Pros Are on Track for an Unmissable Perfect Season!

When Kalen DeBoer looks at what he has at his disposal, the Alabama football coach sees “an overall roster. ” With the court-approved House settlement that gives collegiate athletes a piece of revenue sharing, the Crimson Tide and other major college football programs no longer have to adhere to the 85-scholarship limit, but instead face a roster cap of 105 players. As of the start of spring football, Alabama has 115 players listed on its roster.

This does not count the seven players, at least, who are planned to enroll with the Crimson Tide for its summer session, like four-star defensive lineman Nolan Wilson and three-star defensive end Malique' Franklin . An SEC spokesman confirmed that member schools, including Alabama, must declare its official 105-man roster by the first game of the 2026 season. With the roster limit instead of a scholarship limit, Alabama athletics director Greg Byrne said the conversation surrounding recruiting in all sports has shifted.

The question now is how many spots can a team offer revenue share or potential Name, Image and Likeness deals, compared to a scholarship or roster spot. Byrne said athletes and their families come in with “more knowledge than there was a couple of years ago. ” And the balance for Alabama remains the same: finding the right athletes for each team while making sure that those athletes want to have a team around them.

“We understand NIL and rev share is a reality,” Byrne told The Tuscaloosa News . “We’re going to make sure we’re competitive in that space. And at the same time, too, if a young man or young woman only cares about how much they get and they don’t look at it holistically as a team, I’m not sure if that’s necessarily the right fit for you.