Former Mercer Bear Defensive Back Carmelo O’Neal Commits to Alabama

Alabama added depth in its defensive back room on Saturday morning, with former Mercer safety Carmelo O'Neal committing to the Crimson Tide after a visit to Tuscaloosa, according to Brett Greenberg of 247 Sports.

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O'Neal is a 6-foot-4, 200-pound defensive back who just finished his sophomore season with the Mercer Bears. Alabama continues to add length in the secondary, echoing what the Tide has already added with sophomore Dijon Lee Jr. (6-foot-4), Jorden Edmonds (6-foot-3), and Rihyael Kelley (6-foot-3).

He is originally from Atlanta, Georgia, and attended Westlake High School. He was ranked as a three-star safety prospect in the Bears' 2024 recruiting class, the No. 650 overall prospect, and the No. 62 safety in the class. As a freshman at Mercer in 2024, he played in 11 games with three starts at cornerback, totaling 18 tackles, two pass breakups, and 0.5 tackles for loss.

In 2025, he was a consistent, formidable presence in the Bears' secondary, totaling 38 tackles, nine pass breakups, one sack, and one forced fumble. He entered the transfer portal on December 17 and committed to the Crimson Tide on January 10.

O'Neal is the ninth transfer portal commitment for the Crimson Tide:

Josh Ford, TE (Oklahoma State)
Hollywood Smothers, RB (NC State)
Caleb Woodson, LB (Virginia Tech)
Kaden Strayhorn, OL (Michigan)
Devan Thompkins, DL (USC)
Ethan Stangle, Long Snapper (Syracuse)
Adam Watford, P (North Alabama)
Jaxon Shuttlesworth, TE (Jacksonville State)
Carmelo O'Neal, DB (Mercer)*

*Most recent addition.

The transfer portal officially opened on Friday, January 2, and will remain open until January 16.

Wyatt Fulton is the Tide 100.9 DME and Brand Manager, primarily covering Alabama Crimson Tide football and men's basketball. For more Crimson Tide coverage, follow Wyatt on X (Formerly known as Twitter) at @FultonW_.