For the R3cord: Revealing key strengths for Alabama in 2023

One of the things Alabama struggled with last season was the drop in production at the wide receiver position. Particularly when Bryce Young lost Jameson Williams and John Metchie but since the 2017 season, there have been elite guys on the roster. To this point, no receiver has proven to show that type of quality yet.

And even so, BOL‘s Tim Watts believes wide receiver will be a strength for Alabama this season. Nobody will match the run of DeVonta Smith, Jerry Jeudy, Jaylen Waddle, and Henry Ruggs. But there are still capable names on there who could be prime for breakout seasons.

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“I think the wide receiver group is great,” Watts said when joining On3 CEO/founder Shannon Terry on For the R3cord. “You say great in Alabama terms, you go straight to the Ryde Outs. Obviously, I don’t think they’re as good as those guys. They can be as good, they can’t be better is what I am trying to say.

“Ja’Corey Brooks, nobody talks about,” Watts said. “Isaiah Bond was a track guy, he’s just hitting his peak. JUCO Malik Benson. You got so many guys, I could name so many more — Jermaine Burton. He’s won a national championship, has a ton of experience. Young bucks, Kendrick Law. You cannot sleep on Kendrick Law… Emannuel Henderson… So, I like the wide receiver group.”

Some of the quality Watts mentioned are still considered young pups. Getting experience is going to be key for them, growing into the offensive system. Once guys like Henderson and Law fully grasp what is going on, the ceiling could be quite high.

“They’ve had some drops,” Watts said. “I think that’s their inexperience. Emmanuel is moving to wide receiver, Isaiah is a track guy. So, there’s still guys learning on the job. But talent-wise, I think the ceiling is massive.”

Alabama defensive line ‘sleeper’ position group

Here’s something you usually will not say about an Alabama defensive line. Watts considers them the “sleeper position group of the roster heading into 2023. Guys like Jaheim Oatis are set to lead the group and could be getting overlooked due to other defensive pieces.

Alabama has a trend of how their Alabama defensive lineman pan out and Jamil Burroughs could be the latest example. With him and a few others having the ability to make the jump to the NFL after the season, some jumps in performance could be on the way.

“I loved him coming out of high school,” Watts said on Burroughs. “Very interesting recruitment because he committed to Georgia. I think he had a coaching change and got real heavy in the offseason. Georgia may have dropped him or something. He ends up at Alabama, he’s shown some flashes.

“We’ve seen those defensive tackles where we didn’t see much from them first couple of years and then that money year, that draft year, that upperclassmen year, they really stood out.”