After originally planning to enter the transfer portal, Elijah Pritchett has decided to stay at Alabama per a Twitter/X post by On3 National Recruiting Expert Hayes Fawcett.

Pritchett said in a quote obtained by Hayes, “Transferring is not in my best interest. I apologize for any and all inconveniences. I’m 100% locked in. ROLL TIDE!”

Elijah Pritchett is a significant talent, entering college deemed the fourth-ranked offensive tackle in the class of 2023 by On3. The 6-foot-6, 312-pound talent chose Alabama over offers from Florida State, Georgia, and Southern California. According to Pro Football Focus, Pritchett participated in 12 games this season, playing a total of 95 snaps.

Pritchett competed heavily with fellow freshman Kadyn Proctor for the left tackle job with Proctor getting the share of snaps between the two. However, both signaled a bright future for the Crimson Tide.

“I’m really proud of both those guys [Proctor and Pritchett] for the way they’re weathering the storm right now,” Alabama guard Tyler Booker said in October in a quote obtained by AL.com. “Brighter days are definitely ahead, I like how they improve each week.”

Alabama had five players enter the transfer portal before Pritchett withdrew his name. They include quarterback Tyler Buchner, receivers Thaiu Jones-Bell and Ja'Corey Brooks, and defensive linemen Isaiah Hastings and Anquin Barnes. However, Alabama is known for its significant recruiting hauls and they still have a significant surplus of talent and are expected to bring in one of the top recruiting classes in the national gain this year.

Alabama will face off against Michigan in the Rose Bowl on January 1 at 5 PM EST on ESPN to earn the right to earn a bid to the College Football National Championship and face the winner of Texas/Washington.