Two of Alabama football’s defensive contributors are heading to the Big Ten. Both edge-rusher Qua Russaw and defensive lineman James Smith committed to Ohio State on Monday, after leaving the Crimson Tide via the transfer portal after the 2025 season concluded.
Both players shared the news to their social media accounts Monday evening.
Russaw was a starter for part of the season at the edge position that UA defensive coordinator Kane Wommack refers to as the “wolf.”
“I think Qua is, in a room full of freaky people, Qua is the freakiest,” Wommack said of Russaw in August, before the 2025 season began. “He is freaky athletic and I think he is a special talent in terms of his strength. You watch him at the point of attack, when we start talking about violent hands, which is one of our ‘Bama fundamentals that we continue to stress and harp on, Qua’s ability to destroy blocks and get off and make plays.
“There was a play against Auburn (in 2024), a guy came and pulled against him, and I mean he (Russaw) absolutely obliterated him at the point of attack. Those are things that show up on tape in terms of his strength and physicality.”
Russaw was slowed by injuries during the 2025 campaign, and moved down the depth chart as a result. He finished the year with 13 total tackles and a sack.
The Montgomery native played his high school football at Carver. He was teammates with Smith there.
Smith, who primarily played the defensive end spot Wommack calls the “bandit” also entered the portal after the season, following Russaw. Smith started 12 games for Alabama this past season.
He finished the year with 26 tackles and 2.5 sacks. Smith spent three seasons with the Crimson Tide, and 2025 was his most productive season yet.
The two former Alabama players join an Ohio State team that played in the Big Ten championship game, losing to Indiana, before dropping in the quarterfinals of the College Football Playoff to Oregon. Alabama’s season ended at the same point, when it fell 38-3 in the Rose Bowl to the Hoosiers.
The transfer portal remains open for undergraduate entry through Friday.
