The 2022-23 Alabama Crimson Tide doesn’t have many flaws. Alabama has plenty of returning talent this season, but not as much in the wide receiver position. 

The Crimson Tide has produced tons of NFL talent at this position, but for the first time in a while, there are questions regarding the individuals that will be catching balls from Bryce Young. 

Jermaine Burton 

One of the most surprising moves of the offseason was Jermaine Burton’s decision to leave Georgia for Alabama just weeks after winning the National Championship with the Bulldogs in January. 

Burton was surprised by his new Crimson Tide teammates’ reaction to him joining the roster. 

“Yeah, it definitely was [addressed],” Burton said. “I honestly got more congratulated than anything else. I have forgotten about that game. I want to win it with this team.” 

Burton played in 22 games for Georgia in two seasons, recording 901 yards and eight touchdowns on 53 receptions. 

Ja’Corey Brooks 

After injuries to Jameson Williams and John Metchie III, Ja’Corey Brooks was thrown into the spotlight as a true freshman in 2021-22. 

Needless to say, he stepped up when he was needed. 

Trailing 10-3 with 29 seconds to go in the Iron Bowl, Brooks caught the game-tying touchdown pass from Bryce Young to send the game into overtime. 

After the game, he was flooded with calls and texts from family, friends and fans. However, he didn’t understand all the fuss. 

“Honestly I’m from Florida, so I didn’t know how big the Iron Bowl was,” Brooks said. “During that play I just tried to execute and do my job.” 

In the National Championship, Brooks caught a season-high six passes for 47 yards. 

Tyler Harrell 

Like Burton, Tyler Harrell was brought in through the transfer portal. 

Harrell began his college career in 2018 with Louisville, but only caught a total of 20 passes in his time with the Cardinals. In 2021-22, Harrell had 523 yards and six touchdowns on an impressive 29.1 yards per catch. 

Alabama is hoping that Harrell can have a similar impact that Williams had for the Crimson Tide last season. Williams, who was an afterthought for Ohio State from 2019-2020, became Alabama’s most dynamic weapon on the field in 2021-22. 

The Other Guys 

The remainder of the receiving core is extremely inexperienced. Christian Leary, Traeshon Holden and JoJo Earle all saw very limited action in 2021-22. 

Leary touched the ball just five times but did score a touchdown against Arkansas. Holden appeared in 11 games last season, racking up 239 yards on 21 catches. He scored a touchdown against Mississippi State. Earle returned 16 punts in 2021-22 and caught 12 passes for 148 yards. 

Cameron Latu 

The lack of experience at the wide receiver position will be largely helped by the return of redshirt senior tight end Cameron Latu. 

Amongst all of the controversy surrounding Jahleel Billingsley at the beginning of last season, Latu was sprung into the starting lineup from day one against Miami. How did he respond? The converted linebacker caught two touchdowns in the season opener against the Hurricanes. 

Latu was a pleasant surprise in 2021-22, recording eight touchdowns on the campaign. In the National Championship loss to Georgia, Latu had himself a game, catching five balls for 102 yards and a score. 

Final Thoughts 

The receivers are definitely a work in progress, but if we know anything about Saban and the Crimson Tide, question marks are usually turned into exclamation points early in the season. 

Alabama doesn’t rebuild — they reload.

Questions or comments? Email Austin Hannon (Sports Editor) at [email protected]