Kalen DeBoer Describes What He Sees in Young Wide Receivers

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- The Alabama football team was back at it on Tuesday as the program resumed spring practice after returning from spring break. The Crimson Tide has nearly a dozen practices remaining to get prepared for the A-Day showcase on April 12.

Alabama saw numerous wide receivers leave the program in the offseason leaving it as an area of concern entering the 2025 season. The Crimson Tide's receiver unit features star power in sophomore Ryan Williams and senior Germie Bernard but after the pair the depth is full of unknown talent.

The Crimson Tide brought in two wide receivers in the Class of 2025 in 5-foot-9 Lotzier Brooks out of Millville, N.J. and 6-foot-5 Derek Meadows out of Las Vegas, Nev.

“Derek, when you look at him out there, you can pick him out anywhere, right?," Head coach Kalen DeBoer said, "He’s long and has a presence about him. I saw a one-on-one rep today that was really neat to see him use his body. Sometimes guys that are like that, they’ve got that presence, but they don’t use it. And he used it. Really got a long wingspan, so just get the ball in the vicinity, and he’ll come down with it.

“Lotzeir is really explosive. They’ve both got a lot to learn when it comes to just feeling comfortable in the offense, and when that happens, then being quarterback-friendly and being where you’re supposed to be, especially on time. But Lotzeir’s got some of those instincts. Sometimes it’s hard to find guys. It’s not hard to find him. And he can finish those plays. When a ball is in the air, he can get that little burst to get underneath of it. Those ones that are just off the fingertips, it seems like he’s finding a way to haul them in. Got that little extra juice and can make good outside-the-body type of catches.

“So really like what we see early on with those two guys.”

Deboer continued with the wide receivers praising Cole Adams and the work he does in the slot and his recovery from injury while indicating that newcomer Isaiah Horton frees up Williams to move around and play in the slot, along with Adams, Brooks and others, creating versatility in the unit in the early stages of spring.