In a candid admission, Nick Saban, the former coach of Alabama, revealed how college football coaches are proactively targeting potential transfer portal candidates before they even make an announcement. During ESPN’s NFL Draft coverage on Thursday night, Saban shared that he had been keeping an eye on Toledo cornerback Quinyon Mitchell throughout his college career. Despite interest from other schools, Mitchell never entered the transfer portal.

Saban also admitted that Mitchell was Alabama’s top target in the portal last year, even though he had never actually declared for the transfer market. This revelation by Saban sheds light on how coaching staffs across the country are actively scouting potential transfer targets well before they make any public statements about their intentions.

As part of his new role as an analyst for ESPN following his retirement from coaching, Saban’s comments on Mitchell offer an interesting perspective on the behind-the-scenes strategies employed by college football programs. This disclosure may not come as a shock to dedicated football fans, but it is still noteworthy to hear a respected figure like Saban discuss it openly on a prominent platform like ESPN.