Alabama’s loss becomes Arizona State’s gain as WR Jaren Hamilton makes transfer portal decision

After entering the transfer portal, Alabama transfer Jaren Hamilton has found a new destination to continue his college football career. On Monday, On3's Hayes Fawcett reported that the former Crimson Tide wide receiver has committed to the Arizona State Sun Devils.

Hamilton, a Gainesville, Florida native, spent the past two seasons with the Crimson Tide after being a highly touted four-star recruit in the 2023 class, according to 247Sports. He was ranked as the No. 35 wide receiver overall in that class, showcasing his potential early on.

However, he couldn’t live up to the lofty expectations in Tuscaloosa, limiting his game time. Jaren Hamilton is one of the six Alabama wide receivers to have exited via the transfer portal this cycle. With three years of eligibility left, he brings promising potential to the Sun Devils' roster.

Jaren Hamilton’s tenure at Alabama

Hamilton had an uneventful tenure in Tuscaloosa. During his two years with the Crimson Tide, the wide receiver had minimal playing time under Nick Saban and Kalen DeBoer, redshirting his first year in 2023 and finishing the 2024 seasons without recording any stats.

Entering the 2023 season as a true freshman, Hamilton was anticipated to become a strong part of Alabama's wide receiver rotation. However, he only appeared in two games all through, entering the field against Middle Tennessee in Week 1 and Chattanooga in Week 12.

In the 2024 season, Hamilton appeared in four games — against Western Kentucky, Wisconsin, Mercer and the ReliaQuest Bowl against the Michigan Wolverines. According to Pro Football Focus, he logged 17 snaps on special teams and 30 on offense, with 23 of those offensive snaps coming against Mercer.

Jaren Hamilton’s prospect at Arizona State

After falling short of expectations at Alabama, Jaren Hamilton gets the chance to put his college football career right on track at Arizona State. The pressure is significantly less with the Sun Devils, offering a serene environment to thrive as a student-athlete.

Kenny Dillingham led the program to the Big 12 championship and the College Football Playoff in the 2024 season despite being lowly ranked in the offseason. With the Sun Devils retaining a large crop of their starters, additions like Hamilton can help them stay competitive.