Earlier this offseason, the Alabama Crimson Tide landed former Notre Dame transfer Tyler Buchner out of the transfer portal.
But, according to reports from Miami insider Gary Ferman of On3’s Cane Sports, Nick Saban almost got a different Tyler from the portal.
The rumors about Hurricanes quarterback Tyler Van Dyke possibly coming to Tuscaloosa were “very real,” but Miami ultimately convinced him to stay with an NIL package.
“It was nip and tuck for Miami for several days. Because if they lose Tyler Van Dyke, they are in a major hurt locker,” Ferman said. “And I think Tyler Van Dyke’s representatives knew that and I think they took advantage of Alabama’s interest in him to get a better NIL deal out of Miami. And I don’t see that as something that Miami would get into very often. I would consider it kind of like a one off. But, it absolutely was a real possibility that he was going to go to Alabama. And they got done what they needed to get done in the NIL world and so he stayed.”
Over his last two seasons at Miami, Van Dyke recorded 4,766 yards, 35 touchdowns and 11 interceptions with a 62.5 completion percentage.