As Alabama faces a mass exodus, head coach Kalen DeBoer is accelerating his efforts to rebuild the roster. With tight ends Josh Cuevas and Brody Dalton exhausting their eligibility this season, the Tide is now turning to a Division II prospect to help restock the tight end room.

“Honored to receive an offer from Alabama!,” TE Thatcher Miller shares on X. ” I’d like to thank @_ColeThomas and @BryanEllisUA for the opportunity!”

On Friday, Alabama officially extended a scholarship offer to the 6-foot-4, 245-pound tight end from West Chester University. A four-year contributor with the Golden Rams, Miller enters the portal as a seasoned college player, which is something DeBoer has openly prioritized during this transition phase.

At first glance, Miller’s career numbers may not leap off the page. He has totaled 48 receptions for under 700 yards and nine touchdowns across four seasons. However, context tells a more compelling story. After redshirting his freshman year, Miller saw limited action in 2024 due to an injury that cut his season short. Despite a smaller sample size, he has consistently capitalized on opportunities, including three touchdowns on 14 catches last season.

As a former All-Conference and All-Region tight end, Miller brings immense potential to Tuscaloosa. With Josh Cuevas leaving, the Tide is on the lookout for potential talent. He was leading the TE room with four touchdowns for 411 yards, but his departure will create a void that Coach DeBoer will waste no time filling. Not just that, Brody Dalton has also exhausted his eligibility. While Alabama technically has six tight ends on the depth chart, experience is in short supply.

Danny Lewis, a redshirt junior, remains one of the more seasoned options, but his 2025 season has been derailed by injuries dating back to spring practices. Despite having a year of eligibility remaining, Lewis has entered the transfer portal. That leaves Kaleb Edwards, Jay Lindsey, Marshall Pritchett, and Jack Sammarco, with incoming freshman Mack Sutter set to join the room. Still, DeBoer is clearly seeking veteran reinforcement.

“We just need tight ends,” DeBoer said in December 2025. “Guys that are versatile and can do the thing on the line of scrimmage for us and give us some size. And we also need guys that can make the catches and be a threat in the passing game. Just really feel that that room can continue to go.

“We’ve got the graduation of Josh and Danny this year. Got some good young guys, but could use some veteran guys that have been in the college world a little bit, and he brings that.”

That philosophy is already shaping Alabama’s portal strategy. In addition to targeting experienced options, the Crimson Tide has already onboarded TE Josh Ford from the transfer portal.

Josh Ford commits to Kalen DeBoer’s Alabama

After Oklahoma State fired head coach Mike Gundy, tight end Josh Ford sought a new opportunity elsewhere. He entered the portal in October 2025 and committed to Alabama under Kalen DeBoer by December. However, the official portal window opened in January. However, after Coach Gundy’s firing, a 30-day portal window is opened for student-athletes who wish to transfer out.

With Ford’s arrival, the TE room adds both depth and experience to the depth chart. This past season, he appeared in just three games, recording three catches for 45 yards and a touchdown. However, his freshman season saw him take on a more active role, with 10 catches for 92 yards and a touchdown.

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More than twenty players have left Alabama after the Crimson Tide fell to Indiana at the Rose Bowl. Now, Kalen DeBoer is 100% dialed in towards the portal to pluck key pieces for his next season.