Alabama’s already dynamic wide receiver room climbing to new levels with an exciting freshman who can provide another game-breaking option
Alabama is an intriguing collection of wide receivers, but there’s one who’s emerging to a point where he’ll be almost impossible to keep off the field.
The Alabama Crimson Tide already had a dynamic wide receiver room entering the 2025 college football season. Sure, Isaiah Horton wasn’t 100% healthy and Ryan Williams struggled in the season opener, leaving mostly Germie Bernard to carry the torch for the starters, but this room remains as intriguing as ever.
Horton seemed healthier in Week 2 against Louisiana-Monroe, and Williams should clear concussion protocol sometime in the near future. In the meantime, Alabama remains in great shape with Bernard and Horton being joined other emerging playmakers such as freshman Lotzeir Brooks and Rico Scott. Scott is considered the WR4, but let’s focus on Brooks for a minute.
We’ll start by sharing what Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer said about the young, talented pass-catcher following the Crimson Tide’s 73-0 victory over Louisiana-Monroe on Saturday night.
DeBoer “loved” what he sees from Brooks
“I think offensively, with Lotzeir, just loved what I saw,” DeBoer told reporters. “Maybe it wasn’t offensive snaps last week, but kickoff, there was some things Lotty was doing. And he’s had a build-up — much like a lot of the younger guys. He’s done a good job here the last two or three weeks really elevating, elevating, elevating his game and understanding what it takes.
“We saw it last week on the football field. Had his way to make an impact on some kickoffs. You can see there’s a violence he has. He got his opportunities. I really liked the third-down catch in their territory — going up and getting it. I think that’s something he does really well. I’ve seen that quite a bit in practice. He plays bigger than he is, and got good catch radius. Guys have a lot of confidence going to him. I thought the bubble screen and there’s details I liked as well with ball security. I thought he was very intentional in taking care of the football. A good step for him with this game and the experience he got today.”
How does Brooks fit in moving forward
Bernard continues to be Alabama’s most steady, reliable playmaker on offense. After an eight-catch, 146-yard performance against Florida State in the season opener, the senior followed that up by hauling in all three of his targets for 67 yards and a touchdown on Saturday night. He also added a rushing score and another long touchdown, but unfortunately, they were called back due to penalties.
Simply put, the guy brings a well-rounded, tough-to-defend skillset to the offense. And while I do think Williams continues to be Alabama’s most dynamic presence, we might need to start reconsidering who the WR1 is in Tuscaloosa, even after Williams returns from the concussion that sidelined him on Saturday. Now with that being said, Williams isn’t in danger of getting benched, even if he did have three drops in the opener. He’ll continue to be a big part of what Alabama wants to do on offense.
Then there’s Horton. While he’s still not 100%, the size and length element that he brings is extremely valuable in that X-role. And as he inches closer to a full bill of health, you’ll probably see his playmaking ability start to emerge. Bernard and Williams will likely get a lion’s share of the targets as Alabama’s top two options, but there’s room enough for Horton and others to stay involved, even when Williams returns.
From there, it’s still probably Rico Scott.
Yes, I know Brooks got the start over him in the slot with Williams on the mend, but that could moreso be a result of Scott being a better fit inside. Don’t get me wrong, Scott did see his slot snap percentage increase from 17.5% in Week 1 to 34.4% in Week 2. He’s a capable inside-out option. Brooks is too, especially with his ability to go up and pull in contested catches despite his short stature. But with all that said, Brooks is tailor made for the slot with his 5-foot-9, 191-pound frame, reliability as a YAC option and savvy route-running.
Going into the season, Cole Adams, Jalen Hale and Jaylen Mbakwe were all possibilities to be a consistent part in the rotation. Then after Week 1, many would’ve added the freshman Derek Meadows to that list. I still believe all of those guys have talent and could help the offense if they’re needed, but I also think we’re starting to get some clarity on Alabama’s wide receiver rotation. As for who will be a consistent mainstay in that rotation, we should probably focus on the following players: Bernard, Williams, Horton, Scott and Brooks.
- X: Isaiah Horton
- Z: Germie Bernard / Rico Scott
- H: Ryan Williams / Lotzeir Brooks
Bernard, Williams and Scott are all capable of playing all three positions. Brooks is more of an H (slot) or Z, so he also provides inside-out ability. Horton is mostly an outside guy, but that’s fine due to versatility with the rest of the group. If Horton has to miss any time, you can expect Meadows to get situational work to replace that size-length combination in the lineup. I’m sure you’ll still see a few opportunities here and there for Adams, Hale and Mbakwe, but you’re just not going to consistently see eight or nine guys be a part of the rotation.
The safe number is five, and then Meadows will be relied on for specific depth purposes. Brooks will almost certainly be a part of that group, and if he continues to build on a successful starting debut (four catches for 58 yards) on Saturday, you might see him climb into the top four. But just know that he’s unlikely to rejoin the starting lineup unless Williams heads to the bench for whatever reason. Bernard is at his best as a move piece (i.e., the Z-receiver), and Horton brings that complementary size element.
I guess you could eventually see a trio of Williams (X), Bernard (Z) and Brooks (H), but in that situation, Horton would need to be a heavy rotational piece. Either way, Alabama’s top five remains as impressive as any group in the country, but they’ve got to continue to develop as a unit. With this many playmakers available, it’ll be fun to see how offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb uses them to strain opposing defenses.
