Former Miami wide receiver Isaiah Horton announced on Dec. 21 that he would transfer to The University of Alabama for his junior year.
Horton will be entering an Alabama receiving room that lost some pieces over the offseason but is headlined by returning starters Germie Bernard and Ryan Williams.
In the 2022 class, Horton was rated a 4-star recruit out of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
Alabama pursued Horton at one point, but it seemed as if the state of Florida was where he wanted to be.
Miami and Florida led his recruitment, and Tennessee and Alabama were also considered. But a midsummer visit in 2021 solidified his comfort with Miami.
It didn’t take long for Horton to make an impression on teammates or coaches. Before the 2022 season kicked off, then-Miami quarterback Tyler Van Dyke had only good things to say about Horton’s performance in practices.
“Isaiah, he’s good. As you guys know, he’s a freshman. I think he’s gonna have a lot of potential,” Van Dyke told On3. “He just still has a lot of stuff to work on, obviously, he’s a freshman. But, he’s gonna be a good player.”
However, it wasn’t just hype from a teammate. Throughout his three years in Miami, he continuously improved his stats and raised his value on the roster.
In his sophomore year, he recorded 13 catches for 168 yards and a touchdown.
The next season, after working to improve his speed in the offseason, he increased every stat category, recording 56 catches for 616 yards and five touchdowns
He proved to be a new reliable weapon for new quarterback Cam Ward, who transferred from Washington State.
At the Reese’s Senior Bowl on Feb. 1, Miami tight end Elijah Arroyo spoke on Horton and praised his abilities and progression.
“Since he came in as a freshman, that guy has taken a huge step,” Arroyo told On3. “He’s one of those guys who can go up and get the ball. He’s not scared of contact. He knows what he’s doing. He’s a smart player.”
However, with one year remaining and Ward moving on to the NFL, Horton announced on Dec. 16 that he’d be searching for a new home and entering the transfer portal.
In less than a week and with one visit in the books, Horton announced that he’d be completing his senior year with the Crimson Tide and second-year head coach Kalen DeBoer. Horton will be an important part of DeBoer’s mission to keep Alabama at the top of the college football world as the program keeps changing.
Junior quarterback Jalen Milroe declared for the NFL draft, paving the way for a three-way quarterback battle in the offseason between sophomore Austin Mack, junior Ty Simpson and true freshman Keelon Russell.
Alabama has also relieved Nick Sheridan from his role as offensive coordinator. DeBoer will retain him as quarterbacks coach but will turn to Ryan Grubb for OC duties.
As the new season approaches, it seems Horton, along with Bernard and Williams, will likely be one of the starting wide receivers.
Fans got their first glimpse of Horton at A-Day where he participated in scrimmage and 1-on-1 drills, making some nice plays.
It will now be Aug. 30 when Alabama takes on Florida State in Tallahassee that fans will be able to catch Horton in action.
