Alabama offensive tackle Elijah Pritchett plans to enter the NCAA transfer portal, he told On3 Sports on Friday evening.

Pritchett, a redshirt freshman, competed with five-star freshman Kadyn Proctor for Alabama’s left tackle job in spring and fall camp. Pritchett began the season as the second-team left tackle but saw increased rotational playing time as Proctor struggled during the first half of the season. Proctor eventually settled back into the full-time left tackle role by the Tennessee game in late October, with Pritchett seeing only special-teams and late-game snaps the rest of the season.

247 Sports rated Pritchett as a five-star prospect in the 2022 class, ranked No. 4 among offensive tackles and No. 31 overall. He saw late-game action in two games as a freshman and redshirted.

Pritchett is the fifth Alabama player from its 2023 roster to enter the NCAA transfer portal, joining quarterback Tyler Buchner (lacrosse), wide receiver Ja’Corey Brooks, and defensive linemen Isaiah Hastings and Anquin Barnes. Brooks committed Friday to transfer to Louisville.

Alabama is expected to lose its starting right tackle this offseason in junior JC Latham, a second-team Associated Press All-American who is widely projected to enter the NFL draft and be picked in the first round this April.

Pritchett conceivably could have been an option to replace Latham at right tackle. Instead, Alabama’s top in-house option might be Miles McVay, a freshman who 247 Sports rated No. 21 among offensive tackles in the 2023 class. McVay has seen late-game action in four games this season.

The other offensive tackle on Alabama’s roster is Wilkin Formby, also a freshman. The Tide is predicted to land a commitment from 2024 three-star offensive tackle Favour Edwin.

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