Alabama football recruited LT Overton out of high school.

“I’d really give it a 50/50,” the defensive lineman said Tuesday after the Crimson Tide’s 11th practice of preseason camp. “It was hard to choose.”

Ultimately, the Georgia native went elsewhere in the SEC. He spent his first two seasons at Texas A&M, starting four games and collecting 48 tackles with a sack.

After the 2023 season, Jimbo Fisher was fired and the coaching staff in College Station turned over. Overton hit the portal, and decided the time was right to join the Tide.

He transferred in December, then was faced with another change. Nick Saban retired and new head coach Kalen DeBoer brought in Kane Wommack to run the defense, though defensive line coach Freddie Roach remained.

Overton stuck around, settling into the Crimson Tide’s “bandit” position, similar to a conventional defensive end role. He missed a few days to start camp with an illness, but has earned rave reviews since then.

“That makes it really hard to establish runs to the field when you have a 280-pound ass-kicker over there,” Wommack said of Overton on Tuesday.

Overton put on weight this offseason. Standing at 6-foot-5, the now-junior was listed at 265 pound for the Aggies last year.

Now, he’s up to 283, according to Alabama’s online roster. The extra heft has added another layer to his game entering 2024.

“Just finesse, finesse, finesse, and then just surprise them with power,” Overton said. “That’s been my big philosophy when it comes to pass rush, and even on the run you could hit a little quick move, get around him, but also you’ve got that power.”

Overton is battling for the starting bandit slot with Alabama returnee Jah-Marien Latham, who lined up with the first-team during UA’s Fan Day practice on Sunday. Coaches have praised both players so far, and Overton impressed in the Tide’s first scrimmage on Saturday, according to sources.

On Tuesday, Wommack described what makes the transfer dangerous to offenses.

“He’s a great speed-to-power rusher,” Wommack said. “He’s done it probably a million times over his life, right? He can feel whether the offensive lineman is on his top hip or bottom hip and know how to counter back inside or outside.”

The extra weight hasn’t hurt either.

“He’s 280 pounds and can move his feet,” Wommack said. “Those things are really challenging for an offensive lineman to deal with.”

Alabama continues preseason camp on Wednesday. The Crimson Tide opens the season on Aug. 31 against Western Kentucky in Tuscaloosa.

In the meantime, Overton will continue to try and improve within the new system, something he said has come easier since the start of camp.

“Way more comfortable,” he said of how he was feeling as camp progressed. “Those first two, three days are always going to be a push. That’s all about mental game. But as soon as you break stride and you finally get into day eight, day nine, you get your plan down. You know what you want to do every morning when you come in.”