For about 24 hours, Alabama football faced a world without Jaylen Mbakwe.
Shortly after 5 p.m. Monday, the freshman defensive back confirmed a report that had been swirling, that the “best step for my personal and professional development and the future I’m working towards” was not in Tuscaloosa, not with the Crimson Tide.
As time ticked by, social media posts were dissected. One, a picture of Ryan Williams and Mbakwe from the star freshman wide receiver with the caption “Bingo! We got action.” Another, the same phrase posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, by Ole Miss director of on-campus recruiting Santana McKnight.
Rumors were rampant. But not all were connecting Mbakwe to another college football power. Many were putting Mbakwe right back in Tuscaloosa, potentially with new responsibilities for the Crimson Tide.
Kalen DeBoer was never in doubt. Actually, the Alabama football coach called it simple.
“His conversation with me is that he wanted to come back,” DeBoer said. “Really, it’s not that complicated. … The kid loves this place.”
And less than 24 hours after the announcement was made, all evidence of the announcement was scrubbed, replaced by another post: a picture of Leonardo DiCaprio from “The Wolf of Wall Street,” and a simple message.
“I’m not leavin’.”
Alabama no longer had to live in a world without Mbakwe, the second Crimson Tide player to rescind his intention to enter the transfer portal along with tight end Danny Lewis.
DeBoer knows what Mbakwe has done on the football field – his versatility, his ability to make magic with the ball in his hands. He knows how much Mbakwe loves Alabama and works to be a good teammate and a hard worker.
To DeBoer, it came down to what Mbakwe wants for his future.
“Some guys, just as they go through it, realize really what they want,” DeBoer said. “And, you know, we are just in the world right now where that’s what it is. We’re excited that he wanted to be here with us. And back out there going to work today.”
What does Mbakwe want? It seems like it’s a chance to play wide receiver.
Given the situation Alabama faces, with injuries and the transfer portal giving the Crimson Tide four scholarship wide receivers in the ReliaQuest Bowl, it’s something the Crimson Tide is considering.
“I think as a freshman coming in here, you’re really trying to focus on doing one thing well,” DeBoer said. “But, you know, this is certainly a time where you can look into that, figure that out.”
Alabama offensive coordinator Nick Sheridan called Mbakwe “a talented player” and “someone that’s familiar with having the ball in his hands.”
DeBoer expanded on Mbakwe’s level of comfort, especially on punt return, saying he was “never really concerned” about Mbakwe’s ball security.
“You just got that trust factor that you have with him,” DeBoer said. “And it goes back to his high school days.”
In his junior season at Clay-Chalkville High School in Pinson, Alabama, Mbakwe had 41 catches for 615 receiving yards and nine touchdowns. He played quarterback as a senior and had 19 touchdowns and 2,536 passing yards along with 891 rushing yards and 19 rushing touchdowns.
Alabama defensive coordinator Kane Wommack is just glad to have Mbakwe back.
“This is a time where there’s a lot of people, a lot of voices out there, all these things,” Wommack said. “I think Jaylen did what Jaylen wanted to do, which he chose Alabama out of high school. And he chose Alabama now, and we’re happy to have him.”
Colin Gay covers Alabama football for The Tuscaloosa News, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him atcgay@gannett.com or follow him@_ColinGay on X, formerly known as Twitter.
