Alabama football landed its first transfer portal commitment of the current entry window on Monday, when former Cal long-snapper David Bird announced he will join the Crimson Tide. Bird spent two seasons with the Bears before entering the portal.

Bird, listed as a sophomore with Cal this season, announced the news on social media, specifically mentioning UA head coach Kalen DeBoer and special teams coordinator Jay Nunez.

“Blessed to announce I am committed to The University Of Alabama,” Bird said in the post. “Thank you Coach Nuñez and Coach DeBoer for this amazing opportunity.”

The Phoenix, Ariz. native started every game at long snapper for Cal this season, without registering any errant snaps. He also saw significant playing time off the bench as a freshman, and was similarly error-free, on 59 snap attempts.

Coming out of high school, the six-foot, 210-pound Bird was ranked as the No. 1 long-snapper in the 2023 class, according to Kohl’s Professional Camps.

“He has set the standard for the 2023 class and has for multiple years,” Kohl’s wrote in its scouting report. “Bird is so dominant, when he doesn’t have the top chart in the country, people are confused about what happened.”

Bird’s reliability will fill a large hole on special teams for the 2025 Alabama squad, with current long-snapper Kneeland Hibbett out of eligibility. Hibbett, a four-year starter at the position for the Crimson Tide, was a semifinalist for the Mannelly Award, which goes to the nation’s top long-snapper.

Alabama’s 2024 season isn’t quite over, with a Dec. 31 appearance in the ReliaQuest Bowl, against Michigan, still to come. That game is scheduled to kick off at 11 a.m. CT in Tampa and will be aired on ESPN.