The defensive backs will give them a run for their money, but either way, the Crimson Tide receivers have a chance to be elite in 2025.

The group has top-end talent mixed with good depth and intriguing young prospects. A mix of veterans such as Germie Bernard with freshmen such as Lotzeir Brooks combine to create a talent-filled position.

The question is, who gets the snaps and who rises above the rest?

After watching the quarterbacks on Wednesday, AL.com spent all of the media viewing period Thursday during the second day of training camp monitoring the receivers specifically. The viewing period for reporters lasted about 15 minutes, so it wasn’t enough time to make any sweeping conclusions or definitive takeaways.

 

Alabama practice observations: Receivers

— Practice started at 9:20 a.m. Reporters were able to start watching practice at 9:47 a.m. and it lasted until about 10 a.m.

— The first drill, the receivers worked ball security drills. That included holding the football high and tight, which meant keeping it up to the center of the chest.

While receivers ran through the drill, coaches/staffers held red dummies that essentially acted as arms to try to knock the ball out. Drills like this are meant to simulate running with the ball downfield while defenders try to create takeaways.

— Another drill soon after: The receivers ran short routes. They worked short-area quickness in the end zone. Not much stood out here, but Ryan Williams did drop at least two passes during this drill.

— Williams helped make up for it later. He caught a nifty over-the-shoulder touchdown pass from quarterback Austin Mack in the end zone during the last drill open to reporters. It was not against a defense or even a staff member pretending to be a defender, but it was a solid catch nonetheless.

— In that drill, four quarterbacks lined up and threw at the same time to four different receivers running different routes. At first they went away from the end zone. Then after a few throws, the quarterbacks and receivers worked toward the end zone.

— One four-receiver lineup during this drill: Ryan Williams, Rico Scott, Germie Bernard and Jalen Hale. But it doesn’t seem that’s any indication of a potential lineup.

 

Just the four receivers who happened to go through the drill at one time. There didn’t seem to be any real clear defined order of the receivers through drills, other than Williams and Bernard usually among the first two up. And that makes sense considering those are the two returning starters.

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— Williams and Bernard are expected to once again be regulars with the offense this season, but the question of how offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb uses the others around them will be worth monitoring.

— Isaiah Horton figures to be the next up along with Williams and Bernard. There has been palpable buzz around the Miami transfer, going back to early in the offseason. Horton will bring size and speed to the lineup.

During the limited viewing period, there wasn’t anything that caught our attention, but that’s not an indictment on him. It’s more so the nature of such a short window and only being able to watch so much at once. We saw during the A-Day practice of what he was capable.

— Rico Scott is one of the next-most intriguing options at receiver. There has also been notable buzz about him going back to the spring. He should make a leap in his second season of college football.

— Others to watch are freshmen Lotzeir Brooks and Derek Meadows. They bring different qualities, but Brooks has the quickness to make an impact before long. Meadows, at 6-5, brings length to the position mixed with speed. It remains to be seen what type of role Brooks and Meadows will have right away, but the progress of both is worth monitoring.

— Jalen Hale is worth watching, too. He’s coming back from a significant injury that forced him to miss all of the 2024 season, but he’s clearly in the mix.