After taking some serious hits in the transfer portal, Alabama football looked like a program in flux. But as we turn the page toward the 2026 season, it’s clear the Crimson Tide aren’t going quietly. In fact, they may have just found a key piece to help stabilize - and potentially elevate - their offense: wide receiver Noah Rogers.
Let’s be honest - the early portal cycle wasn’t kind to Kalen DeBoer and Alabama’s recruiting brain trust. They swung and missed on elite targets like Cam Coleman and watched a promising commit, Hollywood Smothers, decommit and head elsewhere.
That kind of stretch can rattle even the most confident fanbase. But DeBoer and General Manager Courtney Morgan didn’t panic.
Instead, they went to work - and their efforts paid off with the addition of Rogers, a high-upside, high-speed receiver with real production under his belt.
Rogers arrives in Tuscaloosa as a redshirt junior with something to prove - and the tools to do it. At NC State, he finished second in receiving yards among all Wolfpack receivers, becoming a go-to option in an offense that needed one.
That wasn’t always the case. Rogers began his college career at Ohio State, a program that’s earned the “Wide Receiver U” label for a reason.
But in Columbus, the depth chart was stacked - Marvin Harrison Jr., Emeka Egbuka, Carnell Tate, and incoming five-star Jeremiah Smith. Rogers saw the writing on the wall and made a move that changed the trajectory of his career.
And now, he’s landed in a place where opportunity knocks again.
Rogers brings more than just speed - he brings experience, route-running polish, and a hunger to prove himself on a bigger stage. He’ll have to earn his reps in a wide receiver room that still features Ryan Williams, the electric playmaker who exploded onto the scene as a freshman but hit a bit of a sophomore slump in 2025. Whether it was due to injury or just a dip in form, Williams’ production took a noticeable hit - down roughly four yards per catch and 200 fewer receiving yards from the year prior.
Still, Williams is expected to be the focal point of DeBoer’s passing game. The question is: who’s next in line?
With Germie Bernard off to the NFL and Isaiah Horton transferring to Texas A&M, there’s room for someone to step up - and Rogers is firmly in that conversation. He’ll compete with Lotzeir Brooks, a former three-star recruit who turned heads as a true freshman last season, including a strong showing in Alabama’s College Football Playoff win over Oklahoma.
And that’s been a theme under DeBoer and Morgan - maximizing talent, regardless of recruiting stars. Brooks wasn’t a blue-chip prospect, but he made big-time plays when it mattered. Same with defensive lineman London Simmons, another three-star who filled in admirably when injuries hit the Tide’s defensive front.
That’s the kind of developmental success that gives Alabama fans reason to believe - even if the Tide didn’t win the portal arms race this offseason.
As for Rogers, he’s stepping into a better quarterback situation in Tuscaloosa than he had at NC State. While CJ Bailey held his own for the Wolfpack, the ceiling is higher with Alabama’s potential signal-callers. Whether it’s Austin Mack or Keelon Russell taking the reins, both offer more arm talent and upside - which could mean big things for Rogers if he clicks with the Tide’s offensive system.
Of course, nothing’s guaranteed. But Rogers has already shown he can adapt, produce, and compete - and now he gets to do it on one of college football’s biggest stages.
Alabama may have taken some early punches in the portal. But with players like Rogers now in the fold, they’ve landed a few of their own.