Jehiem Oatis may only have one tackle this season, but expect there to be considerable demand for his services when the transfer portal opens. The 6-foot-5, 325-pound junior Alabama defensive lineman announced Monday that he would redshirt this season and then enter the transfer portal come December.
It has been a disappointing season for Oatis, who is coming off three offseason surgeries and has played sparingly for No. 7 Alabama this season in its new 4-2-5 defensive scheme under first-year defensive coordinator Kane Wommack. Oatis played in four games this season, averaging 16 snaps a game.
“I think for Jehiem, obviously, he’s been battling some injuries, has not been able to perform or produce the way that any of us would like,” Wommack said Monday.
There is a proof of concept there, though, for Oatis. He excelled as a true freshman in 2022 under Nick Saban, earning freshman All-SEC honors after totaling 29 tackles in 10 starts. He’s a big, powerful lineman who shed considerable weight his first year in the program to much success.
“Still very high on Oatis,” wrote 247Sports national recruiting analyst Cooper Petagna. “Limited snap count in 2024. See as a Day-2, early Day-3 type of prospect on Sundays. Will be one of the most prioritized prospects in the portal.”
Oatis is listed as a four-star with a 94 rating in 247Sports’ transfer portal rankings. He said in a statement that he’s excited “to find a new home where I can bring NFL-caliber play and help my future team compete for championships.”
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