Transfer Portal Bio Blast: Kristian Story

The winter transfer portal window has been closed for a week, but Kentucky is not done adding to the 2024 roster. After the last visits for mid-year undergraduate transfers arrived last week, decisions are being made now. On Wednesday, Kentucky added its second defensive free agent of the transfer portal cycle.

Alabama safety Kristian Story will wear blue and white as a redshirt senior in 2024.

What will the SEC defensive back transfer bring to Lexington? Let’s do some digging.

Blue-Chip Recruit

Kristian Story was a class of 2020 signee and a member of Alabama’s No. 1 ranked recruiting class that included Bryce Young, Will Anderson, Drew Sanders, Brian Branch, and numerous other draft picks. The four-star prospect was a two-way star at Lanett (Ala.) High near the Georgia border.

Story earned Alabama Gatorade Player of the Year honors as a senior after he led Lanett to a state title. The dual-threat quarterback set the state’s high school record for career touchdowns (175) and total yards (13,219). Lanett also flashed at safety recording nine interceptions during his junior year. A high school coach’s son, Story was bonafide prep superstar playing in a lower classification in Alabama.

The four-star recruit decided to stay in-state picking Alabama over Texas A&M and numerous others.

Role player at Alabama

Kristian Story took a redshirt year in 2020 and did not play in any games for Alabama’s undefeated national championship team. As a redshirt freshman in 2021, Story played in 12 games with most of his action coming on special teams for a team that won an SEC title and finished the season with a loss to Georgia in the national championship game. As a redshirt sophomore in 2022, Story saw a bigger role and recorded five tackles before an opportunity arrived as a redshirt junior.

With Alabama losing multiple starters to the NFL Draft in the secondary, there were two starting spots available. However, five-star true freshman Caleb Downs and UAB transfer Jaylen Key took those spots. That kept Story in a backup role where he recorded five tackles and an interception.

Shortly after Alabama’s loss to No. 1 Michigan in the Rose Bowl, Story entered the transfer portal and landed at Kentucky one week later. The redshirt senior figures to have a better shot at earning a starting position in Lexington.

Scouting Notebook

Tape is somewhat limited on Story, but the veteran did see extended playing time against LSU and Kentucky this season. To see what kind of player Kentucky is landing, I went back and watched the film.

Here is my scouting write-up on the SEC defensive back transfer.

Kristian Story (6-1, 211) is a big safety who can trigger downhill and provide value in a zone scheme due to his size and speed combo. The former high school quarterback was the third safety in Alabama’s dime packages in 2023. The veteran defensive back does a good job of leveraging the football when required. Projects as a plus-level run support player. There are questions regarding coverage ability. On tape, Story showed some lack of awareness in coverage on a QB scramble and had issues staying sticky in man coverage. Did not see physicality much on tape but that could be due to usage as Alabama used him most as a deep defender or a safety that rolled up to play man against backs and tight ends. Story projects as a traditional safety for Kentucky who can clog zones, play deep coverage, or be a roll down force player in the box. Going to a heavier zone defense could help eliminate some of the issues in man coverage. Expect him to compete for starting job immediately in Lexington.

KSR Scouting Report