Alabama’s confirming every preseason suspicion fans had about this elite wide receiver room after dismantling Wisconsin
Alabama’s wide receiver room is proving to be exactly what fans thought it’d be entering the 2025 college football season.
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The Alabama Crimson Tide got a decisive victory over Wisconsin on Saturday. After notching its first win against Louisiana-Monroe last weekend, the team soundly beat the Badgers 38-14 with a late touchdown from UW keeping things from looking even more lopsided.
Soon after the game, I shared my quick reactions, but I didn’t really share my thoughts on the wide receiver room. Of course, I’ve since gone back to update those reactions, but I wanted to share what I said about Alabama’s pass-catchers in a separate article. Below, you’ll find what I said about that group.
Alabama’s wide receivers stand out
-Speaking of playmaking ability, Ryan Williams was outstanding in his return from a concussion that kept him out of the Louisiana-Monroe game. He got a team-leading six targets, which he turned into five catches for 165 yards and two touchdowns. Yes, he could’ve had a third had it not been for another drop, but that’s just Williams. He’s going to suffer the occasional drop, but his ability to make spectacular plays, especially after the catch, is nothing short of remarkable. Of his 165 receiving yards, a whopping 109 came after the catch.
-Alabama did a great job getting and keeping others involved too. The offense opened in 12 personnel with just Williams and Germie Bernard on the field, but on the second play, freshman Lotzeir Brooks entered for Kaleb Edwards for Alabama’s first three-receiver set. With Brooks in the slot, Williams was able to play the X with Bernard at the Z. Then soon after, Isaiah Horton rotated in for Brooks to play the X with Williams sliding back inside. That type of inside-out versatility to create mismatches is exactly what it needs to look like moving forward. Throw in Rico Scott rotating in as that fifth option, and you’ve got one of the top WR rooms in the country.
-Bernard remains the reliable, steady option, and I also think we should acknowledge how much he’s helping kickstart Alabama’s offense to start games. Last week, all of his production came early. That was similarly the case in this game, but it’s more than enough with everyone else the Tide have available for Simpson. Bernard scored the first two touchdowns with one coming on the ground and the other through the air. That gives him three receiving touchdowns, which is a single-season career-high. Plus, his four total touchdowns in 2025 also ties a previous high. Considering Alabama’s only through 25% of the season, I’d say that’s pretty impressive. He’s playing like a first-round talent.
*** For most post-game observations, click here.
Alabama’s current WR rotation
X: Ryan Williams OR Isaiah Horton
Z: Germie Bernard / Rico Scott
H: Lotzeir Brooks OR Ryan Williams / Rico Scott
There’s a lot to like about this group. You’ve got guys who can create separation and generate yardage after the catch. You’ve got willing blockers, you’ve got speed and you’ve got the length and size element with Horton. Plus, there’s versatility with players such as Williams, Bernard, Scott and, to an extent, Brooks.
Ryan Williams bounces back
Williams has dealt with some unfair criticism over the last two weeks. Yes, the three drops against Florida State were unacceptable, but the 18-year-old wasn’t the only player who struggled that day. In fact, very few players didn’t (Bernard, for example). The drops have to get cleaned up, which Williams acknowledged after the game.
“That’s a part of football, but definitely got to focus in on those because you can’t get too comfortable the second half of the game, and that’s what we’ve been focusing on all week, not getting comfortable,” Williams said. “And ‘Freddy Soft’ jumped on my back at the end of the game.”
Williams has played in 15 games since arriving in Tuscaloosa. In those 15 games, he’s totaled 58 catches for 1,060 yards (18.3 yards per catch) and 10 touchdowns while adding another 48 yards and two scores on the ground from 2024. For a player who spent all of last season at 17 years old and is only 18 right now, that’s pretty impressive. Could he use more consistency? Sure, but that’s to be expected as he continues to grow and develop.
Is Williams the most reliable option in Alabama’s wide receiver room? No, that label belongs to Bernard, but man, he’s probably the biggest headache for opposing defensive coordinators. The game-breaking ability is a game-changer, and that fits along perfectly with everything else that’s available for Ty Simpson.
