Alabama’s wide receiver depth stands out

By WVUA 23 Sports Reporter Sam Holley

Alabama began spring practice on Thursday with a number of questions that fall camp will provide answers for. Wide receiver depth is not at the top of the list.

The Crimson Tide’s Jermaine Burton, Ja’Corey Brooks, and Kobe Prentice combined for 110 catches last season. While they should be considered established weapons, Brooks says no member of the group has shown signs of complacency.

“I’ve seen every guy improve,” Brooks said. “Most of the younger guys as in the freshmen, even the sophomores, are developing their playbook and skillset of how to run their routes and what they need to see in the defense.”

Last season, Brooks had a team-high eight touchdown catches but his priority is not to become the “alpha” or clear No. 1 option at receiver.

“I’m not really looking for No. 1 receiver,” Brooks said. “I’m looking for a complete group because everybody might have a day, everybody might have a game they get their name called. You want everybody in our group to show up and play hard the best way they could.”

On defense, it doesn’t sound like the players are having any trouble adapting to new defensive coordinator Kevin Steele.

“The best thing is coach Steele has been here before,” Ebiogbe said. “He knows how Coach Saban likes things and knows the ins and out of things so I feel like the best thing is to have somebody that has already been in the system that knows about the system already. It’s kind of been a seamless transition from him.”

This is Steele’s third stint on Alabama coach Nick Saban’s staff. He was the first defensive coordinator of the “Saban-era” (2007-08). After leaving to become Clemson’s defensive coordinator (2009-2011), Steele returned as the Crimson Tide’s director of player personnel (2013) before earning on on-field coaching position in 2014 as Alabama’s linebackers coach.