Sports

4-Star DB Dumps Alabama Near Transfer Window Deadline With Suspicious ‘Do Not Contact’ Tag

#University of Alabama
by Last Updated
A football rests on the playing field.

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Alabama signee Peyton Woodyard has entered the transfer portal with plans to leave Tuscaloosa. A 2024 recruit, he never played a down for the Tide, though many expected him to contribute as a freshman.

The safety arrived on campus in January after inking his signature in the early signing period. That commitment to the program, however, came while Nick Saban was still at the helm.

Now, the job is Kalen DeBoer’s with Saban retiring at season’s end.

An early enrollee, Woodyard took part in spring ball as a member of the second-team defense. Despite his position on the depth chart, he opted to hop in the portal just before the transfer window deadline (April 30).

That decision came along with a “do not contact” tag that has many suspicious.

That designation restricts outside suitors from contacting the defensive back, meaning he’s the only one that can start the recruiting conversation.

We’ve seen these tags in the past, one of which came during Alabama OL Kadyn Proctor’s transfer process. The lineman entered the portal already knowing where he’d end up, so he restricted others from making contact.

Does Peyton Woodyard have a future destination in mind?

Many think so! Check out the immediate online reaction to the announcement.

“When will they change the wording of the ‘do not contact’ tag? Perhaps ‘tampered with by (insert school name)’ tag would be a better description.”

“Clearly a deal has already been made… So now we just sit back and wait to find out who it is that totally ‘didn’t tamper’ this kid away from Bama.”

A California native, many expect a return to the West Coast. USC was a major player in his initial recruitment, and many have pegged the Trojans as a popular landing spot.

Others are in the mix, too, with one prominent program reportedly sticking out.

According to Pete Nakos of On3 Sports, Oregon could be the team to beat here.

It’s worth noting that the Ducks were in Woodyard’s final group before he made the decision to attend Alabama. After just a few months on campus, it seems he might be having second thoughts about spurning Dan Lanning.

It will be interesting to follow the safety’s recruitment, which could be a short one given he’s probably already narrowed things down to a handful of schools.

Wherever he ends up, Peyton Woodyard seems likely to make an instant impact.