Alabama Players to Watch: Ja'Corey Brooks

With the Loss of John Metchie for the rest of the year, Alabama turns to Brooks to fulfill their deep threat. How does he compare?

When Alabama lost John Metchie for the season, they lost an incredible deep threat and part of College Football's most lethal one-two punch of the 2021 year. 

Metchie had 1,142 yards on 96 receptions prior to his season-ending injury against Georgia in the SEC Championship Game with 8 of those ending in touchdowns.

Alabama is still searching for a replacement for Metchie's production. While Slade Bolden has picked up some of that slack, freshman Ja'Corey Brooks is another place the Tide has turned to fill those shoes.

Brooks came to Alabama out of IMG Academy, a notable recruiting hotbed that Georgia has looked at a lot. Brooks moved up the depth chart season, and Metchie's injury is only fast-tracked the freshman's playing time. Brooks actually leads Metchie in yards per catch with 16.1 yards per reception over Metchie's 11.9.

Brooks's name first came upon a national stage during Alabama's hard-fought Iron Bowl win over Auburn when he caught a game-tying touchdown late in the 4th quarter. After Metchie went down during the SEC Championship game, Brooks took on a bigger role moving into the Cotton Bowl against Cincinnati.

The freshman caught 4 passes for 66 yards and a touchdown against the Bearcats averaging 16.5 yards per reception. That number was higher than Jameson Williams. In fact, Ja'Corey Brooks caught three fewer receptions than Williams did, and still outgained him by 4 yards.

When Georgia and Alabama kick-off for the national championship on Monday night, keep an eye out for Number 7 on Alabama's wide receiving corps. He has every ability to be just as lethal as John Metchie.

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