Kalen DeBoer Names Receivers Who Stood Out in Alabama Football Scrimmage

TUSCALOOSA, Ala.— Alabama football had its first scrimmage of fall camp on Saturday morning. Head coach Kalen DeBoer, now running his second fall camp since arriving in Tuscaloosa, highlighted multiple different wide receivers when addressing the team's depth.

"[It's] just new guys popping up," DeBoer said after the scrimmage. "Guys that you would expect to make plays. One day... you got Germ [Germie Bernard] making a lot of plays. Today, [Isaiah] Horton getting his opportunity."

Horton made 56 catches for 616 yards at Miami (Fla.) last season. He figures to be the third receiver on the depth chart behind Bernard and Ryan Williams, both of whom were recently featured on the Biletnikoff Award Watch List. That Horton played well enough to earn a name-drop after the first preseason scrimmage is a good sign; he also impressed at the A-Day practice in April.

Redshirt freshman Rico Scott, who's earned rave reviews for his blazing speed and growth as a player over the offseason, is one of the leaders in the conversation for the fourth spot. He has now additionally become an example in blocking at the wide receiver position.

"Rico, just doing the little things that matter," DeBoer said. "Cole Adams made a nice play today, one that was really good to see. The depth, guys understanding, 'Man, I gotta go out on a day where we got a scrimmage, I gotta go out and prove it.' Especially those ones that haven't got as many opportunities."

Adams only played in seven games last year due to injury, getting hurt in September against USF and then again the next month in a home contest against Missouri. He missed the rest of the season. Adams featured heavily as a return man in 2024, but that's not all he's capable of.

"I love the depth we're building. Those guys are gonna be important," DeBoer said. "Not just on defense, offense, but special teams... It's good for those guys to get out there and do the fundamentals that are especially transferrable."

DeBoer mentioned how many snaps freshmen played on special teams last season, estimating around 1,600 off the top of his head. That's good news for players like Derek Meadows and Lotzeir Brooks, blue-chip wideout prospects who have big futures but are rising freshmen. Brooks has been dealing with an apparent foot injury, but DeBoer did not provide a Saturday status update on that front.

Fall camp is also a time for Jaylen Mbakwe to prove himself at his new position. The converted defensive back made the switch following his freshman year, and in a moment during practice earlier this week, was running a pass-catching drill simultaneously alongside Adams.