Alabama DB Robinson transferring to UCF

Alabama defensive back Aaron Robinson, a highly touted prospect out of Deerfield Beach High in the Class of 2016, announced Saturday he will be transferring to UCF.

Robinson, who was ranked among the top 50 cornerbacks in the nation by 247Sports coming out of Deerfield, is the second Alabama player to transfer to UCF in the past two years. He joins Shawn Burgess-Becker, a Class of 2015 product of Coconut Creek Monarch High, on the Knights’ roster. Burgess-Becker will be a sophomore this season at UCF after sitting out this past season as a transfer.

Robinson, who attended West Boca High prior to transferring to Deerfield as a prep star, will have to sit this season as per NCAA transfer rules. The 6-foot-1, 181-pound Robinson played sparingly during his freshman season last year at Alabama, recording a pair of tackles.

He will provide much needed depth in UCF’s defensive backfield once he gets on the playing field. The Knights lost five defensive backs to graduation this year, including third-round Seattle Seahawks draft pick Shaquill Griffin, a cornerback.

UCF also must replace starting cornerback D.J. Killings and starting safeties Drico Johnson and T.J. Mutcherson.

Alabama defensive end Da’Shawn Hand has been arrested on a charge of driving under the influence less than a week before the Crimson Tide opens fall camp. Tuscaloosa Sheriff Department online records show that Hand was arrested last Saturday. He was jailed on $1,000 bond after the arrest by campus police.

No more information was immediately available. A university spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for details.

Hand is expected to contend for a starting job this season. The 6-foot-4, 288-pound senior was rated the nation’s top overall recruit by Rivals.com out of high school in Woodbridge, Va. He has seven career sacks, including two last season.

The Tide open Sept. 2 against Florida State in a likely matchup of top 5 teams.