Alabama has raced to a 2-0 start, and the Crimson Tide’s passing game has already spread the ball around plenty. Ryan Coleman-Williams, Lotzeir Brooks, Rico Scott and Derek Meadows have all made their presence felt, Noah Rogers is expected back soon, and Tyler Henderson is in the mix too.
That crowded room has left Cederian Morgan on the outside looking in.
The highly touted freshman wide receiver has yet to record a catch through Alabama’s first two games and has logged just 24 snaps total. Against Kentucky this past Saturday, he was on the field for only four snaps. For a player expected to carve out a role this fall, that usage points to one thing: right now, Morgan is at best the No. 5 receiver.
Head coach Kalen DeBoer has said the freshman will be in the mix, but how much that actually means depends on how the rest of the receiver group develops. Coleman-Williams and Brooks sit atop the depth chart, Scott has claimed the No. 3 spot, and Meadows is the No. 4 option.
Morgan’s long-term upside is obvious. He was rated the fifth-best wide receiver and the 44th-best player nationally in the class of 2026, and at 6-foot-4, 222 pounds, he has the size and athleticism that fit the profile of a true No. 1 target. The Alexander City, Al. native has even been compared to Julio Jones, the Crimson Tide great who became one of the NFL’s best receivers.
The question is whether that kind of breakout starts this season. Given Alabama’s depth at the position, the answer looks uncertain.
Coleman-Williams is widely expected to head to the NFL Draft after the season, which could open the door for Morgan in 2027. Even then, though, Brooks would still be around, and Meadows could be too unless he transfers.
In Other News...
Alabama Suddenly Has A Backfield Problem Kalen DeBoer Didn't Need
Alabamas backfield situation has taken an early turn the program did not need, with sophomore running back AK Dear still trying to work his way back from a high-ankle sprain suffered in fall camp. Dear has already missed the first two games of the season, and his status for the upcoming matchup with Florida State remains uncertain as he continues to be listed as questionable.
Dear has been out there in warm-ups, which at least suggests progress, but the Tide still appear to be approaching game day with no certainty about whether hell be available. In the meantime, Daniel Hill, EJ Crowell and Traeshawn Brown have helped absorb the workload, giving Alabama some stability in the backfield while it waits to see if Dear can finally return. [Read more 🡒]
Keelon Russell Gets The Alabama Opportunity Fans Have Been Waiting For
Florida States defense has already shown cracks early this season, giving up a healthy amount of passing production in its first two games as Tony White settles back in with a 3-3-5 stack built around pressure and frequent blitzing. Even with names like Mandrell Desir, Darryll Desir, Ryan Kennedy and Chris Jones in the mix, and with Earl Little Jr. no longer in the picture, the Seminoles have not yet looked like a unit that can live comfortably in man-to-man situations for long stretches.
That is the kind of setup Alabama fans have been eyeing, because it could give Keelon Russell the sort of opening that makes a young quarterback look ready well before anyone expected. The Tide have been waiting for a chance to see how he handles a defense willing to come after him, and this matchup now feels like one of those early-season moments that can either accelerate a quarterbacks rise or expose how much work is still ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Nick Saban Just Entered A Fight Alabama Fans Can't Ignore
Nick Saban has stayed in the middle of the college sports conversation long after stepping away from the sideline, and now he is backing a bipartisan push in Washington aimed at cleaning up the chaos around NIL and the transfer portal. The Protect College Sports Act is designed to address some of the biggest headaches in the modern game, and Sabans support gives the bill immediate credibility in the kind of debate that now reaches far beyond the SEC.
Tommy Tuberville is pushing a different route with the narrower Student Athlete Act, arguing against too much government involvement, while several Black Democratic senators and the NAACP have raised concerns about the broader proposal. Their objections center on NCAA power and whether the right protections would actually be in place for athletes, leaving Alabama fans with a familiar kind of football fight that has drifted well beyond the field and into the politics of how college sports should be run. [Read more 🡒]