Alabama football is nearing a College Football Playoff Semifinal against Michigan and Nick Saban and co. are still prepping for the future.

While Crimson Tide coaches are visiting prospects in the class of 2024 ahead of the early signing period, they’re also navigating the transfer portal. Four UA players have already entered. On Wednesday, news broke of a transfer exploring Alabama.

Texas A&M defensive lineman Fadil Diggs told Brian Dohn of 247Sports that he’ll be in Tuscaloosa on Friday and Syracuse on Saturday. Diggs has one year of eligibility remaining.

Elijah Robinson, formerly Texas A&M’s defensive line coach and interim head coach, followed Georgia’s Fran Brown to Syracuse to run the defense. According to Robinson’s team bio, he was a state champion at Woodrow Wilson (N.J.) High, the same high school as Diggs. Diggs also said Florida State has shown interest.

In analyzing UA’s transfer portal philosophy, the Tide tend to seek starting-caliber veterans and Diggs would fit the mold. Alabama is expected to lose Justin Eboigbe and Tim Smith, along with both starting outside linebackers Dallas Turner and Chris Braswell in 2024. Two depth pieces, Isaiah Hastings and Anquin Barnes, have already announced plans to transfer in the last week.

Diggs played in 33 career games for the Aggies with 75 total tackles and sack sacks in his career with two passes deflected, three forced fumbles and one blocked kick. Diggs was the New Jersey Gatorade Player of the Year in 2019, joining then-coach Jimbo Fisher as a four-star. Diggs, listed at 6-foot-5, 260 pounds, was a captain during his final two seasons and is likely a familiar name for Alabama fans.

The best games of his career have come at the partial expense of Tide quarterback Jalen Milroe. In 2022, Diggs recorded two sacks in Bryant-Denny Stadium, forcing Milroe to fumble twice. In College Station on Oct. 7, Diggs got Milroe twice more. 247Sports ranks Diggs as the No. 4 edge rusher after he entered the portal on Dec. 6.

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