The term “one-and-done” has long been part of college basketball lingo, but it has taken on a different meaning for modern college football.

The loosening of the NCAA’s transfer portal rules last year made it easier for underclassmen to transfer and play immediately, then enter the NFL draft after one successful season.

That was the case when Jameson Williams transferred to Alabama for the 2021 season after two years mostly in the background at Ohio State. Williams flourished in his starting role for the Tide and became a first-round pick in last April’s NFL draft, beginning a trend that should continue this year.

Running back Jahmyr Gibbs declared Monday for the 2023 NFL draft after one season at Alabama. The junior’s decision came a little more than a year after he transferred from Georgia Tech, where he was a key piece of the Yellow Jackets’ offense but felt his skills could be better showcased in Tuscaloosa.

Williams was picked No. 12 overall in last year’s draft despite an ACL injury, and Gibbs said Monday he has heard feedback placing him in the No. 20-25 overall range of this spring’s draft.

The decision was not as obvious as the two others announced by Alabama juniors Monday — by quarterback Bryce Young and outside linebacker Will Anderson — but expectations still leaned heavily in favor of Gibbs entering the draft early, with two years of eligibility remaining.

“I kind of knew for a little bit,” he said. “If we had that sort of year we wanted, then, yeah.”

There might not have been the same emotional connection built between fans and Gibbs or Williams as there was with Young and Anderson, who were recruited by the program and were twice named team captains. But the success of the two transfers in choosing Alabama means more could follow.

There is a transactional element to the process, with predominantly two groups of players Alabama attracts in the transfer portal: significant contributors from less prominent schools, such as Gibbs at Georgia Tech, or under-used players at prominent schools, such as Williams at Ohio State.

In either case, those players arrive at Alabama with the possibility of playing on college football’s biggest stage and, surrounded by some of the game’s best players, earning greater attention from NFL scouts. In return, Alabama is able to fill its roster holes with external options that were not available a few years ago.

Gibbs said Monday he ran a 4.32-second 40-yard dash as a freshman at Georgia Tech. He said Monday he will participate in the NFL combine in early March, and his performance there will determine what he does at Alabama’s pro day later that month.

He has drawn comparisons at the professional level to Alvin Kamara, the former Alabama and Tennessee running back who has excelled for the New Orleans Saints.

“Our ability to catch out of the backfield, line up at the receiver position and the slot,” Gibbs said of their commonalities. “And our swiftness running through the holes, and contact balance.”

Gibbs ran 151 times for 926 yards this season in 12 games, missing one because of an ankle injury. In addition to his seven rushing touchdowns, Gibbs caught a team-high 44 passes for 444 yards and three receiving touchdowns.

He twice exceeded his Georgia Tech high of 20 carries, against Texas A&M (21) and Tennessee (24).

“I feel like it proved a lot to NFL teams that I can withstand 22 carries a game,” he said.

Mike Rodak is an Alabama beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @mikerodak.