Identifying who Jalen Milroe’s receiving targets will be in 2024

There are many questions surrounding the outlook for the Alabama Crimson Tide football program as they enter year one of the Kalen DeBoer era. Fortunately, On3’s resident college football expert Andy Staples knows just who to turn to if you want the inside scoop on all things Alabama — Tim Watts of BamaOnline.

Staples brought Watts in as a guest on the Andy Staples On3 Podcast to gain his insight on the Crimson Tide as they prepare for their quest to be the best in 2024. One question that was on the host’s mind and that is possibly on the minds of Alabama fans is who will be star quarterback Jalen Milroe‘s top receiving targets this season.

“I like Germie Bernard,” started Watts. “I don’t think he got enough attention. He played behind three guys [who] went first, second, and third-round picks at Washington. [He] stood out in the spring game, obviously. He’s the first guy I think you look at, along with some of the experienced guys like Kobe Prentice, and you absolutely have to talk about Ryan Williams. I mean, this is a guy still supposed to be playing high school football. Some guys are just built different. Whether they’re 16 or 26, some of them are just built different, and I think Ryan’s one of those.”

In terms of Alabama’s wide receiver room, there are more new faces than returning faces. Of the 11 wideouts projected to be on the Crimson Tide’s opening-day depth chart, six are new to the program. However, Watts expects former Washington Huskies receiver Germie Bernard, who followed DeBoer to Tuscaloosa, to be a huge contributor in the passing game this season.

While it could take some time for Milore and the retooled Crimson Tide receiver room to develop a rhythm early on, Watts sees a way to expedite that process a bit. According to the Alabama insider, DeBoer and company will likely have a little breathing room to figure things out in the passing game thanks to the Crimson Tide’s strength at running back and within the interior of its offensive line.

“As good as I think the wide receiver core can be with Jalen, I also think a big benefit for Kalen DeBoer, Nick Sheridan, and Alabama — that they didn’t necessarily have a Washington — is the running game,” said Watts. “You got Jamarion Miller over here. [I’m] hearing great things about him. You got Justice Haynes; you got a lot of talented guys in that backfield, and you have a superior interior offensive line.”

Alabama isn’t alone. There are plenty of programs throughout the college football landscape that will need answers to questions such as these very quickly. However, most don’t have the benefit of being the Crimson Tide and having a war chest of talent to figure out an answer to the question.

The Crimson Tide will kick off their 2024 season on August 31 with a home opener against Western Kentucky. That is when fans will get their first true taste of what life will be like in the DeBoer era and see just what the Alabama receivers and Milroe can do together.