2025 Alabama Crimson Tide Position Preview: Wide Receivers

Alabama football entered the ReliaQuest Bowl against Michigan with four healthy wide receivers: Ryan Williams, Germie Bernard, Rico Scott and Jaylen Mbakwe, who switched from cornerback. The Crimson Tide lost six wide receivers to the transfer portal in the weeks leading up to the game as well.

Fast forward just six months later, and Alabama is being considered one of the deepest and most talented receiving corps in college football heading into the 2025 season. Williams and Bernard are the only wide receivers on the current roster who have logged more than five receptions with the Tide, so how is this new narrative possible?

Well, perhaps the first thing that should be mentioned is that Alabama will have a new quarterback this season following the departure of Jalen Milroe, who was selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Milroe is a true dual-threat and was one of the most athletic college football players last year, however, his 319 pass attempts ranked eighth in the SEC.

Head coach Kalen DeBoer and company are all but certainly calling the number of redshirt junior Ty Simpson, who typically airs it out inside the pocket—meaning this offense will likely be more pass-heavy. This play style is somewhat in line with new offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb’s “aggressive” philosophy. Grubb is replacing Nick Sheridan, however, the former OC is now the quarterbacks coach and all of them will work together cohesively.

Williams, a top option for Simpson, returns to Tuscaloosa for a highly anticipated sophomore campaign in the slot position after a freshman year that took the world by storm. Enrolling a year early, the then-17-year-old finished last season with 48 receptions for 865 yards (11th in the SEC) and eight touchdowns (tied for second-most in conference). His stardom earned him a spot as the co-cover athlete for the EA Sports College Football 26 video game, and he was most recently named to the media’s Preseason All-SEC First Team.

Bernard will be another top target as he hauled in 50 receptions (two more than Williams) for 794 yards on 15.9 yards per catch. Each of the aforementioned numbers were top-15 in the SEC, but they didn’t translate to touchdowns as he only found the end zone twice last season. Despite Bernard’s impressive numbers, he wasn’t named to any of the media’s three Preseason All-SEC teams, but with a more pocket-passing quarterback, he’ll likely earn more red zone targets in 2025.

"I think [wide receivers coach] JaMarcus Shephard with the receiving group, we had some turnover and really some guys that we've brought into the program that I think add to Ryan Williams and Germie Bernard,” DeBoer said on May 2. “It's really fun seeing the personality of Shep come out in that group and really attacking everything and the work there. I'm excited about the development of that position."

Alabama only added one wide receiver from the transfer portal, but former Miami Hurricane Isaiah Horton seems to be the pass-catcher that DeBoer and company are most impressed with. Horton’s 6-foot-4 length helped him tally 56 receptions last season and his consistent ability to high-point the ball during A-Day makes him the top candidate to be the third wide receiver in the starting lineup. He is definitely someone to keep an eye on during fall camp as his size makes him stand out among 6-foot Williams and 6-foot-1 Bernard.

"Our main focus as a receiving corps is being as diligent as we can," Bernard said on April 11. "Our offense is very detailed and [wide receivers coach JaMarcus Shephard], he really harps on that—and blocking as well. If you block, the coaching staff is going to want to get you the ball. Just being selfless.

"We had a great receiving room last year. We had a lot of guys that can stretch the field, a lot of guys that can make contested catches, a lot of guys that can block and I feel like we have the same within this group. Coach Shep, he coaches everybody not completely the same, but he has a standard for each and every one of us and we have a group standard that we withhold."

Alabama hasn’t had four receivers total more than 30 receptions apiece in a single season since 2020, but a recent photo posted by Williams brought back memories of DeVonta Smith, Jerry Jeudy, Henry Ruggs III and Jaylen Waddle accomplishing this feat in 2019.

The aforementioned Rico Scott joined Williams, Bernard and Horton in this photo, and although he hasn’t had much playing time, the redshirt freshman showed a lot of promise with his ease of gaining separation and quick route-running. But Scott has a ton of competition for this role as the leader for the WR4 spot is unknown at this time.

Based on experience alone, Cole Adams could have that spot after being Alabama's punt returner last season, tallying 11 returns for 58 yards and had six catches for 94 yards. But his season ended earlier than expected following a leg injury against Missouri. That said, Adams wasn’t listed as either out or limited during the spring practice window and aims to see an increased role with the numerous wide receivers transferring out.

And speaking of experienced receivers who sustained 2024 season-ending injuries, Jalen Hale and Aeryn “Bubba” Hampton are eyeing comebacks to Crimson Tide football.

Hale suffered a significant knee injury during spring practice in late March of last year, and although he was likely to see an increase in snap count, it sidelined him for all of last season. But like Adams, he was healthy during the spring and the deep-threat receiver showed some strides during A-Day.

Hampton’s injury was a bit of a mystery as it happened during practice and the diagnosis was never announced. He was a freshman at the time and only had one catch in three appearances. With this in mind, the former 4-star recruit who missed all of spring practice recovering from the injury, will likely stay as a depth piece throughout the season due to his lack of snaps at Alabama.

And while Hampton’s injury was a mystery, the same can definitely be said about the status of Jaylen Mbakwe, who as previously stated, switched from cornerback to wide receiver shortly before the ReliaQuest Bowl.

A strong argument could be made that Mbakwe is the most athletic player on the roster, but the former 5-star recruit and Clay-Chalkville two-way standout will have all eyes on him during Fall camp to capture the transition. He played a ton of snaps at cornerback as a freshman last season and excelled, but this switch can make or break his development.

Last but not least, we have two freshmen who are just starting their development with hopes of hearing their name called during the 2028 or 2029 NFL Draft—Lotzeir Brooks and Derek Meadows. Receivers come in all shapes and sizes, and these two are polar opposites.

After watching the high school tape and seeing him during spring practice and A-Day, it’s hard to believe that Brooks was just a three-star recruit from New Jersey. The 5-foot-9, 191-pounder stands out with his quickness and agility. During A-Day, he flashed these traits and then some against the Crimson Tide’s second and third defensive units as he made several catches, including a touchdown thrown by fellow freshman Keelon Russell—the connection offering a potential glimpse of the future.

Although it’s unlikely, Meadows, whose 6-foot-5, 212-pound frame makes him the tallest and biggest wide receiver on the roster, could give him a shot at seeing the field at some points this season for plays in the red zone. In addition to his catch radius, he also stood out at A-Day for his bursts at the line of scrimmage, as he quickly broke free from coverage on multiple reps and hauled in a back-shoulder deep touchdown pass from Austin Mack during the 7-on-7 drills.

But like Hampton, expect Brooks and Meadows to be depth pieces to start the season. That said, should any of these three show major strides in fall camp and practice during the season, an increased role is possible, especially for Brooks.

In conclusion, Alabama has a ton of options at the wide receiver position and the winner of the WR4 battle probably won't be known until Week 1 against Florida State. Bernard said during the spring that he has “no doubt” that the Crimson Tide could be the best receiving corps in the nation and that “Everybody can do everything.”

"We've got a lot of speed,” Bernard said. “A lot of strength. We've got guys that can block and could make contested catches. We've got guys that are tough. We've got guys that can get open...We're explosive. Very explosive."

Projected Depth Chart

Wide Receiver - X
1. Isaiah Horton
2. Germie Bernard/Ryan Williams
3. Jalen Hale
4. Derek Meadows

Wide Receiver - Z
1. Germie Bernard
2. Ryan Williams/Isaiah Horton
3. Rico Scott
4. Jaylen Mbakwe

Wide Receiver - Slot
1. Ryan Williams
2. Cole Adams
3. Lotzeir Brooks
4. Aeryn "Bubba" Hampton

2025 Alabama Wide Receivers

Cole Adams – Redshirt sophomore, 5-10, 183 lbs

Grew his role through fall camp to earn significant snaps at wideout with six total catches for 94 yards and on the Tide's return units with 11 punt returns for 58 yards to go with one kick return for a gain of 15.

Germie Bernard – Senior, 6-1, 204 lbs

One of the many players who followed DeBoer and transferred from Washington, but he immediately stepped into a starting role and competed for targets all season with Williams. Bernard led UA in receptions with 50 for 794 yards and two touchdowns.

Lotzeir Brooks – Freshman, 5-9, 191 lbs

Holds the New Jersey high school receiving touchdowns record and aims to score more with the Crimson Tide. The former three-star recruit has a unique skillset of speed and agility with a smaller frame.

Jalen Hale – Redshirt sophomore, 6-1, 197 lbs

Did not see any playing time as he spent the season recovering from a knee injury he sustained during spring practice in late March of last year. Hale hauled in five receptions for 148 yards and a touchdown in 2023.

Aeryn "Bubba" Hampton – Redshirt freshman, 5-10, 195 lbs

Played in three games and registered one reception for a gain of six yards. However, he suffered a season-ending injury during practice, but the diagnosis was never announced by the team. Hampton did not practice in the spring.

Isaiah Horton – Redshirt junior, 6-4, 208 lbs

Played in 29 games with six starts across three years with the Miami Hurricanes and saw time in all 12 regular-bseason contests with four starts in 2024. In that span, he accumulated 616 yards and five touchdowns on 56 receptions as a redshirt sophomore.

Jaylen Mbakwe – Sophomore, 5-11, 190 lbs

Came to Tuscaloosa as rated as a five-star athlete but landed as a defensive back for Alabama to start the year. He totaled 15 tackles, including one for loss, to go with a pair of pass breakups and an interception, but he decided to switch to wide receiver before the ReliaQuest Bowl and will remain a pass-catcher.

Derek Meadows – Freshman, 6-5, 212 lbs

Ranked as the No. 1 recruit in the state of Nevada, the former four-star recruit looks to use his large frame with the Crimson Tide. Meadows, who is the tallest and heaviest wide receiver on the roster, showed an eyebrow-raising burst off the line of scrimmage at A-Day as well.

Rico Scott – Redshirt freshman, 6-0, 196 lbs

Played in four games last season and caught five passes for 60 yards and a touchdown to go with a 28-yard rush. Scott is a former four-star recruit who eyes a bigger role as he was one of the four receivers who played in the ReliaQuest Bowl.

Ryan Williams – Sophomore, 6-0, 178 lbs

Earned Second Team All-America honors from the AFCA and was named a Freshman All-American by the FWAA after recording 865 receiving yards and nine touchdowns. These efforts also got him selected to the All-SEC First Team and Freshman All-SEC Team by the league coaches.

This is the fifth story in BamaCentral's summer position previews series.

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