Paul Finebaum believes LSU is on the rise, Alabama dropping after transfer portal moves

Paul Finebaum rarely misses a chance to poke the bear — in this case, Alabama and its fans — and the popular Birmingham-based radio show host took particular notice after a string of “way-too-early” Top 25 projections didn’t seem to favor next year’s Crimson Tide squad.

“Their preseason (projection) in some of the early (2026) rankings is 17,” Finebaum said on Tuesday’s episode of The Matt Barrie Show podcast. “Do you remember the last time you saw Alabama outside the Top 5 or 6 or 7 or 8?”

Meanwhile, at the same time, the ESPN firebrand already sees one of the Crimson Tide’s biggest rivals — LSU — making waves this offseason, especially with regard to how new head coach Lane Kiffin is rebuilding the Tigers’ roster ahead of his first season in Baton Rouge.

LSU currently has the fourth-ranked transfer class with 39 total additions, according to the On3 Transfer Portal Team Rankings, while Alabama‘s class is ranked No. 45 overall with just 16 portal additions. While the total number of portal additions regularly vary from team to team, depending largely on a team’s specific needs as well as their total financial pool, the caliber of transfers can often balance things out.

But by most metrics, it’s clear LSU’s 2026 portal class will far outshine the Crimson Tide’s in both number of additions and overall talent this offseason.

Kiffin and the Tigers have already locked up six 4 star-or-better transfers, according to On3’s Transfer Portal Player Ranking, including two of the Top 3 players overall in former Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt (No. 1 overall) and former Ole Miss pass rusher Princewill Umanmielen (No. 3). Meanwhile,third-year coach Kalen DeBoer and the Crimson Tide currently have just one 4-star transfer addition in this year’s class: former USC defensive end Devan Thompkins (No. 41 overall).

Of course, Kiffin isn’t done. The new LSU head coach is working overtime to shore up this year’s transfer class by adding former Colorado offensive tackle Jordan Seaton, the No. 5 overall player and the top uncommitted player in the portal after Umanmielen’s commitment on Wednesday.

Based on those developments, among others, ESPN firebrand Paul Finebaum believes a changing of the guard in already well underway in the SEC, with Kiffin and the Tigers climbing back into the mix among the conference elite, while DeBoer and Alabama seem to be falling behind ahead of the 2026 season.

“Looking around the SEC, LSU is clearly moving up, and if you watch the portal closely, Alabama is moving down,” Finebaum added. “One of its best players went to Texas, (while the Tide) got a player the other day from Cal Poly. “I’ve never seen Alabama get players from Cal Poly, they’re getting players from West Coast teams.”

Finebaum is referring to Cal Poly transfer interior offensive lineman Racin Delgatty, who committed to Alabama on Jan. 16. Of course, that same day, the Tide locked down signatures from three-star former Texas offensive lineman Nick Brooks, a former four-star prep recruit. Since then, DeBoer also secured portal commitments from former Ole Miss interior OL Ethan Fields and former Oregon defensive lineman Terrance Green on Saturday, and former South Carolina pass rusher Desmond Umeozulu on Sunday.

What those new additions ultimately mean for next season’s SEC race is yet to be seen, but one thing is clear, Kiffin and LSU are already lapping many of their SEC counterparts this offseason, including Alabama.