Post-spring depth chart projections for Alabama’s wide receivers
Now that spring football has officially wrapped up and the 2023 NFL draft is complete, it is time to shift our focus to the offseason.
Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide have a ton of questions marks exiting spring and fans are chomping at the bit for answers.
So as we dive into the dog days of summer, I thought we could take a look, position by position, and project the possible depth chart for the 2023 Alabama football team post-spring.
Together we have already taken a look at the quarterbacks and running backs and today we will continue our dive into the offensive skill positions and glance at the wide receivers.
Let’s roll!
Position Breakdown
Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images
There is no denying that the wide receiver group did not live up to expectations during the 2022 season. Some of that is fair, but for the most part, those expectations were not grounded in reality. Alabama’s run of having elite NFL receivers was bound to simmer down at some point and that just so happened to be last season. While I am not expecting 2023 to be a return to Jerry Jeudy, DeVonta Smith, and Jaylen Waddle days, it is fair to assume this group will be much improved this season.
Wide Receiver X
Andrew Wevers-USA TODAY Sports
Starter | Ja’Corey Brooks or Jermaine Burton |
Depth | Thaiu Jones-Bell |
Depth |
Ja’Corey Brooks and Jermaine Burton will likely split the role at the X-position. But Alabama doesn’t limit its receivers to just the X, Z, or H positions, they like to move each player around to help create mismatches. We are just dividing them up for depth chart purposes.
Brooks is entering his junior season and continues to show signs of improvement. Brooks has always had great size and athleticism, but mastering the art of route running and setting up defenders is where has shown the most growth. He and Burton both need to prove they can be consistent in their performance in 2023.
Wide Receiver Z
Gary Cosby-USA TODAY Sports
Starter | Malik Benson or Kenrick Law |
Depth | Jalen Hale |
Depth | Jaren Hamilton |
Malik Benson is the name to watch this fall. The junior college transfer created a ton of buzz this spring and could be in for a breakout season for the Tide. The same could be said for sophomore Kendrick Law who coach Saban mentioned as one of the leaders of the offense in terms of work ethic. Two true freshmen in Jalen Hale and Jaren Hamilton will provide depth this fall.
Wide Receiver H
Andrew Wevers-USA TODAY Sports
Starter | Isaiah Bond or Kobe Prentice |
Depth | Emmanuel Henderson Jr. |
Depth | Cole Adams |
Alabama will have plenty of options in the slot this fall between Isaiah Bond, Kobe Prentice, and Emmanuel Henderson. All three players are big-time playmakers and are capable of taking it to the house at any time. Before suffering an injury, freshman Cole Adams was even turning some heads this spring. I believe the coaching staff is excited about what they have in the slot. But much like the rest of the receivers, it is about consistency in performance.
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