Michigan Standout Edge Derrick Moore Discusses Alabama’s New OL Additions from the Wolverines

MOBILE, Ala. - Alabama has made a major overhaul of its offensive line room for the 2026 season, with the Crimson Tide firing offensive line coach Chris Kapilovic and bringing in USC offensive analyst Adrian Klemm, who has significant experience coaching high-level offensive lines in both college football and the NFL.

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Alabama has also changed its personnel on the offensive line, with six of Alabama's seven top offensive linemen from the 2025 season either departing for the NFL or entering the transfer portal. The only returning starter is true sophomore Michael Carroll, who started just five games for the Crimson Tide during the 2025 season.

Alabama has added five offensive linemen via the transfer portal, including two former Michigan Wolverine linemen: Kaden Strayhorn and Ty Haywood.

Strayhorn, a 6-foot-3, 318-pound offensive lineman, can help bolster the Crimson Tide's offensive line on the interior, where he played in high school with Carroll at IMG Academy. He appeared in two games for Michigan in 2025, making his collegiate debut against Central Michigan and playing significant snaps against Texas in the Citrus Bowl. Strayhorn was rated as a three-star prospect in the transfer portal. He will have four seasons of eligibility remaining.

Haywood, a 6-foot-5, 316-pound offensive tackle, can provide competition for the sophomore Jackson Lloyd at left tackle or can compete for one of the Tide's available guard positions. He appeared in three games for the Wolverines as a true freshman, making his collegiate debut against Central Michigan, rotating along the offensive line at left tackle against Maryland, and rotating along the line and special teams against Texas in the Citrus Bowl. Haywood will have four seasons of eligibility remaining.

At the Senior Bowl, we caught up with Michigan standout edge defender Derrick Moore, who had a strong showing on day one, to get the scoop on both Strayhorn and Haywood, and what Alabama is getting with the two additions. Moore is ranked as the No. 7 outside linebacker on Mel Kiper's ESPN Big Board.

" I ain’t even know Ty Haywood went to Alabama as well. You know, them two guys right there, especially Haywood, he’s a really good young player. You know, he’s got a lot of potential. That was my scout person, my scout look each week," Moore said after Monday's Senior Bowl practice. "And, you know, he made me better throughout the season. I’m not even going to lie. He’s real physical, real aggressive. When he gets hands on you, you’re not getting off of him. So, that right there, you know, gave me a lot of momentum going into practice.

"I was like, I can’t get locked up by a freshman. You know, but them two guys right there, especially Kay, I ain’t really go against him too much in practice, but, you know, I feel like he's a smart kid, you know, real humble. Only heard nothing but good things about them, you know, coming from out of the O-line room. So, them two guys right there, you know, a lot of potential, good kids. And I’m just excited to see them on the next level, and also getting an opportunity to play college football."

Moore also said both Haywood and Strayhorn are quiet guys, but will do everything they can to help their team succeed.

"Like same two guys, you know, quiet, especially in the locker room. Especially Kay, both of them are really quiet. I’m not gonna lie, both of them are quiet. You really don’t hear too much out of them. They listen real well. You tell them to do something, they’re gonna do it. They’re not gonna really give you any talk back, anything like that. And I really appreciate them for that, especially coming out there as a leader and a captain, an older guy. Sometimes, you gotta be on the young guy’s ass and things like that. It was times we had to be on their ass, and they really didn’t give no talk back. So they’re real humble guys, and they listen really well."

Alabama's offensive line was retooled with 11 new additions for the 2026 season:

Incoming Transfers

Kayden Strayhorn (Michigan)
Ty Haywood (Michigan)
Racin Delgatty (Cal Poly)
Nick Brooks (Texas)
Ethan Fields (Ole Miss)
Jayvin James (Mississippi State)

2026 Recruiting Class

Bryson Cooley (4-Star OT)
Jared Doughty (4-Star OT)
Chris Booker (4-Star IOL)
Bear Fretwell (3-Star OT)
Tyrell Miller (3-Star IOL, JUCO)

Alabama retained five scholarship offensive linemen from the Crimson Tide's 2025 roster:

William Sanders (Redshirt Sophomore)
Casey Poe (Redshirt Sophomore)
Michael Carroll (Sophomore)
Jackson Lloyd (Sophomore)
Mal Waldrep Jr. (Redshirt Freshman)

Wyatt Fulton is the Tide 100.9 DME and Brand Manager, primarily covering Alabama Crimson Tide football and men's basketball. For more Crimson Tide coverage, follow Wyatt on X (Formerly known as Twitter) at @FultonW_.