An erstwhile Alabama football player has found his new college football home.
Back in late January, Nigel Knott took the first step in leaving the Alabama football team by entering his name into the NCAA transfer database. Thursday, the linebacker exited the portal by announcing on Twitter that he has “decided to continue my football career at [East Carolina].”
Thus far, ECU has not confirmed Knott’s addition to the roster.
Knott left the Alabama football team as a graduate. That means he’ll be eligible to play for ECU in 2020. The upcoming season with the Pirates will be his final year of eligibility.
Knott was a four-star 2016 signee for the Crimson Tide. The Mississippi native was rated as the No. 8 cornerback in the country. He was also the No. 4 player in his home state regardless of position.
As a true freshman, Knott took a redshirt. Over the next two seasons, he appeared in 11 games. An even 10 of those appearances came in 2018. Knott didn’t play at all in 2019 because he was medically disqualified. In December of last year, he was cleared. A month later, he entered the transfer portal.
East Carolina is coming off a 4-8 football campaign in the first year under head coach Mike Houston. Since winning 18 games in 2013-14, the Pirates have won a combined 18 games the past five seasons.
