ESPN: Florida defensive lineman Kelby Collins flip to Alabama.

 

 

An Alabama native is returning to his home state.

 

Former Florida defensive end Kelby Collins announced he would transfer to Alabama football after two seasons with the Gators.

 

Collins is the third player to transfer to Alabama, joining former Cal long snapper David Bird and former Colorado School of Mines punter Blake Doud.

 

 

Collins announced his intention to enter the transfer portal Dec. 3. He was on Alabama’s campus Dec. 13 for a visit.

 

Collins, a former 2023 top-50 defensive end out of Gardendale, Alabama, initially picked the Gators over Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina and Oklahoma.

 

 

Collins was one of Florida’s go-to defensive players as a freshman in 2023.

 

The 6-foot-5, 250-pound defensive lineman played 274 snaps per Pro Football Focus as an edge rusher and generated 23 tackles, two tackles-for-loss, 1.5 sacks, one pass deflection and a forced fumble. He was named freshman all-SEC and was a second-team freshman All-American.