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Former 5-Star Recruit Keon Keeley Comments on Decision to Leave Alabama

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Nate Lunak | Last updated Feb 18, 2026 1:59 PM ET

The Alabama Crimson Tide fell short of a national championship in their second year under head coach Kalen DeBoer. Their season ended with a 38-3 Rose Bowl loss to the Indiana Hoosiers.

The losses continued into the offseason. The Crimson Tide saw 23 players depart in the transfer portal. Among that group was defensive lineman Keon Keeley, who is now with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

Over the past two seasons with Alabama, he's appeared in 19 games. The 6-foot-5, 270-pound pass rusher accumulated 19 tackles, three tackles for loss, three sacks and one pass deflection.

Coming out of high school, he was a major addition for the Crimson Tide. In the 2023 cycle, Keeley was a five-star recruit, the No. 1 EDGE and the No. 2 player in the nation, per Rivals industry Rankings.

Former Alabama Crimson Tide defensive lineman Keon Keeley.Gary Cosby Jr.-Tuscaloosa News / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Despite his time on the field increasing in 2025, appearing in 13 games, he opted to hit the transfer portal and join the Fighting Irish. On Wednesday, Keeley addressed that decision in an X post from ABC57's Talia Baia.

“I had to make the best decision for me,” Keeley said. “I had a great time there, we had a lot of great moments and a lot of success. My main priority is to look forward to this upcoming season and being at Notre Dame and winning a national championship.”

I asked Keon Keeley why he decided to leave Alabama and whether something wasn’t clicking there

“I had to make the best decision for me…my main priority is to look forward to this upcoming season and being at Notre Dame and winning a national championship.” pic.twitter.com/piZDfVwtJq
— Talia B (@talia_baia) February 18, 2026

While it's a big transition, the defensive lineman is familiar with Notre Dame. He'd originally committed to the Fighting Irish out of high school, before backing out and ultimately choosing Alabama.

While his departure meant that the Crimson Tide lost a talented player, the team remains focused on the 2026 season. Alabama will open things up with a home matchup against the East Carolina Pirates on Sept. 5.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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