Alabama football is prepping for its biggest game of the season while onboarding over 20 new players to the program. As is the norm for the modern college football recruiting calendar, transfers and high school recruits can join schools as mid-year enrollees and get exposure to practices and team drills. For the Tide, that meant welcoming a few transfers while out West.

On Friday, senior defensive back Malachi Moore recognized Southern California transfer target Domani Jackson at Alabama’s pre-Rose Bow practice. Moore had hosted Jackson on an official visit before his initial decision in 2021 and was pleased to see Jackson eventually end up committing to the Tide.

“We had a good time. We’re definitely cool,” Moore said of Jackson. ” … He’s a good player. He’s fast, he’s quick and he can definitely tackle and cover really well.”

Jackson made headlines when he picked UA over Michigan, its opponent for Jan. 1′s Rose Bowl semifinal. Dallas Turner figured Jackson is “another addition” to Alabama’s rep as “DBU” or an incubator for producing top secondary talent. Jackson gives Nick Saban a veteran option to potentially replace both Kool-Aid McKinstry and Terrion Arnold, early-round NFL Draft hopefuls.

Jackson was the second former five-star prospect to pick Alabama out of the portal. On Dec. 5, Texas A&M defensive lineman LT Overton chose the Tide. His choice gave Alabama a ready-made scout team piece to help mimic Michigan’s defensive front.

Senior Justin Eboigbe said Overton has made a strong first impression, stepping up first in individual drills when he gets a moment. For Dallas Turner, who knew Overton from their days in Nike’s EYBL basketball circuit, it’s nothing new.

“I got to talk to him a couple times. I seen a lot of good things come out of him,” Turner said of Overton. “Plays hard, seems like the type of guy that’s going to buy into the system and go about ways the way how we do out here.”

Alabama’s newest quarterback Julian Sayin headlined a class of nearly 20 recruits that joined Alabama ahead of the playoff. The first footage of Sayin at a UA practice came from a rare open media session at Dignity Health Sports Park on Thursday.

Nick Alvarez is a reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @nick_a_alvarez or email him at [email protected].