Why Ryan Grubb, JaMarcus Shephard 'Absolutely Love' Jaylen Mbakwe

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Alabama's wide receiver corps features 10 players aiming to make an impact this upcoming season, and that includes a former cornerback who switched to the position.

This, of course, would be Jaylen Mbakwe, who is entering his sophomore campaign with a big gamble. Mbakwe was heavily featured in Alabama's secondary as a true freshman in 2024 and he's had to learn the wide receiver position in a short amount of time. He first lined up on offense in the ReliaQuest Bowl with limited training, but he's worked on it throughout the offseason.

Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer said on Sunday that Mbakwe has "made some nice plays" during the summer and fall camp and fellow wide receiver Ryan Williams said on Monday that his transition from cornerback to wide receiver has "been super smooth."

Alabama offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb was the latest to comment on Mbakwe's big bet and his opinion is on par with DeBoer and Williams'.

“I think Jaylen is one of the guys we haven't talked about a bunch, but I think he's really settling into his role as a receiver," Grubb said during Tuesday's press conference. "He's improving on route running. I think his hands are getting better, securing the football. I think he's doing a really nice job. He's showing up quite a bit already.”

Grubb spoke about the importance of wide receivers blocking, and this key concept has also worked for Mbakwe.

“I think it's a lot if the culture in the room's wrong," Grubb said. "If the culture in the room isn't that, hey, we catch touchdowns, but the expectation is that we're gonna block. And when that culture's right, it happens really quick, because they're more than capable typically.

"Athleticism, the strength, all that stuff's normally there. It's more of a demeanor or a mindset. So when the room is right, I think it happens really quick.”

Alabama wide receivers coach JaMarcus Shephard received a few new members to his unit this offseason, and he is a big fan of the former cornerback.

"I absolutely love Jaylen Mbakwe," Shephard said on Monday. "His presence is amazing. He's always got a positive attitude. I don't think this guy has had a bad day since he transitioned into my room. He's truly had a positive upbeat spirit every single day and I can't say that that's been any different than how he's been any other day.

"I just appreciate it manifesting itself in my specific room. There's going to be negatives and there's going to be positives, but he takes every one of those situations as a learning experience."

It's clear that Mbakwe, a former 5-star recruit who played multiple positions on both sides of the ball at Clay-Chalkville High School, has the respect of his teammates and coaches. Now, can it translate to moving up the depth chart as the season moves along?

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