Former Mercer DB Carmelo O’neal has committed to Alabama out of the NCAA transfer portal, On3 has learned. O’neal visited Alabama on Jan. 8 but also held interest from Cal, Auburn, LSU and Kentucky. O’neal was recruited out of high school as a safety, but is expected to play cornerback for the Crimson Tide. He […]
Former Mercer DB Carmelo O’neal has committed to Alabama out of the NCAA transfer portal, On3 has learned. O’neal visited Alabama on Jan. 8 but also held interest from Cal, Auburn, LSU and Kentucky.
O’neal was recruited out of high school as a safety, but is expected to play cornerback for the Crimson Tide. He logged 38 tackles (30 solo), nine pass breakups, a sack and an interception for the Bears in 2025.
As a freshman in 2024, O’neal started three games at cornerback while making 11 appearances. He amassed 18 tackles (nine solo) and a pair of pass breakups.
O’neal was unranked in the 2024 cycle. That’s according to the Rivals Industry Rankings, which is a proprietary algorithm that compiles ratings and rankings from all four primary recruiting media services.
He’ll join an Alabama squad this offseason that finished the 2025 season with an 11-4 record. Along the way, they become the first team with three regular season losses to secure an at-large bid into the College Football Playoff. Clemson had previously qualified as a top five-ranked conference champion during the 2024 season.
It was an interesting run for the Crimson Tide this postseason. The first matchup saw them complete a 17-point comeback — the largest in CFP history — against Oklahoma in the first round. However, they had no answers for Indiana in the national quarterfinal, losing 38-3.
The Crimson Tide will look to carry the momentum of a successful season into the 2026 season. However, they’ll have to do so without this season’s starting quarterback, Ty Simpson. Simpson is headed to the 2026 NFL Draft after one year as the Alabama starter.
In the portal so far, Alabama has already helped fill a hole on their defense. They gained a commitment from former USC DL Devan Thompkins and are expected to land more as portal season continues.
To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire. The On3 Transfer Portal Instagram account and Twitter account are excellent resources to stay up to date with the latest moves.
Category: General Sports
