Alabama football’s WR room stagnated in the final years of the Nick Saban era in Tuscaloosa. The Crimson Tide went from a dominant run of recruiting and developing at the position to missed evaluations and, frankly, lackluster coaching.

One of the biggest upgrades on Kalen DeBoer’s coaching staff from Saban’s is at WR. JaMarcus Shephard is one of the best receiver coaches in the country and it was obvious the impact he had a season ago.

It’s not a coincidence that Alabama’s only two really productive receivers last season were newcomers – freshman Ryan Williams and Washington transfer Germie Bernard. Shephard clearly struggled to reach the holdovers from the previous era, as seen in the Fox Nation documentary about the 2024 season.

Following the season, Alabama saw a significant purge in the WR room. It was not unexpected and mostly it was encouraged by the coaching staff, despite what the narrative seemed to be from a national media preying on the Crimson Tide’s downfall.

Kobe Prentice, Caleb Odom, Kendrick Law, Emmanuel Henderson, Jaren Hamilton, and Amari Jefferson all left via the Transfer Portal. You can see where those players transferred and infer pretty much everything you need to about how they were viewed by other programs.

Alabama retained some of the room. Obviously, Williams and Bernard were welcomed back. Cole Adams and Jalen Hale are back from injury. Rico Scott and Bubba Hampton are entering their second years in the program. Jaylen Mbakwe has switched positions from CB to WR.

Alabama landed an impact No. 3 option at WR in the Transfer Portal in Miami (FL)’s Isaiah Horton. They also brought in two freshmen – Lotzier Brooks and Derek Meadows – who will compete for playing time immediately.

It will be the most talented WR room Alabama has had since at least 2020, maybe before. It’s too early to proclaim this, but it’s giving vibes of the pinnacle of the WR talent in Tuscaloosa. And with how Shephard is recruiting at the position, the talent level is only going to increase.

Alabama’s 2025 WR room is giving “Ryde Outs” vibes

Alabama’s “Ryde Outs” era in 2018 and 2019 was perhaps the most talented WR room in college football history. It included four 1st round draft picks – all of whom were selected within the Top 15 – in Jerry Jeudy, Henry Ruggs, Devonta Smith, and Jaylen Waddle. In 2019, those four guys were back along with true freshman John Metchie, who ultimately became a second round NFL Draft pick.

Things were always going to decline from that era and rapidly. It’s not normal to have four first round picks at one position on the same roster. But to decline to the degree that it did where not a single pro was recruited and developed after that was startling.

Since 2020 when Smith and Waddle went pro, the best WRs for the Crimson Tide were brought in via the portal. Alabama caught lightning in a bottle with Jameson Williams from Ohio State and his emergence hid for a little longer how far Alabama’s evaluations had fallen in high school recruiting.

Things are changing, though. Williams is a bonafide superstar; he had a terrific freshman season as a 17-year-old, would’ve been high school senior. Bernard was Alabama’s most consistent player at the position last year.

Horton should fit in perfectly as the No. 3 WR. He has the size that makes him a nice compliment to Williams and Bernard.

The depth is where things shine the most for Shephard and the Crimson Tide. Hale and Adams are coming off injuries. Adams is reliable, but Hale has the potential to be a star at the position. Both will have trouble garnering playing time because of the younger talent behind them.

Mbakwe is the ultimate wildcard. He was one of the best athletes in the country as a high school senior. It will be interesting to see how much he develops focusing on being a WR during the spring after spending last season as a corner.

Rico Scott flashed in bowl practices and will be looking to make a move.

The two true freshmen both look like the real deal. Derek Meadows turned some heads before spring practice already started. As soon as practices began, it was obvious that Lotzeir Brooks’ talent was undeniable and it was going to be impossible to keep him off the field no matter how talented the other players are in the position group.

The talent at WR is going to make things easier as Alabama breaks in a new QB. Whoever starts – whether it’s Ty Simpson, Austin Mack, or Keelon Russell – will have reliable targets with them on the field at all times, no matter which combination Shephard chooses to roll out there.

Perhaps it’s premature to compare this group to the “Ryde Outs”, but the talent level in Tuscaloosa at WR is higher than it’s been since the end of that era.