Many will certainly have an opinion on how the transfer portal went for the Alabama Crimson Tide.
Given that Kalen DeBoer and Co. missed out on several top targets like Cam Coleman, and then losing commit Hollywood Smothers, those opinions may err on the side of negative.
Advertisement
But DeBoer and General Manager Courtney Morgan have certainly managed to bounce back in the portal by acquiring a high-profiled speedy wide receiver, who just may make up for the loss of Isaiah Horton.
And then some.
Noah Rogers will be a redshirt junior when he suits up for the University of Alabama, and while with the Wolfpack, was second in receiving yards out of all receivers.
As a four-star prospect, he originally committed to Ohio State University, and only played two games before transferring over to NC State. And it was the best possible outcome for him.
Because Rogers became a main option for a team that needed him, and he didn’t have to be buried on the depth chart.
Advertisement
Sometimes waiting your turn can pay off, but for Rogers, he had to sit behind the likes of Marvin Harrison Jr., Emeka Egbuka, and Carnell Tate. But not just that, the Buckeyes had Jeremiah Smith coming the following year.
Ohio State is considered “Wide Receiver University” for a reason, but Rogers saw the hurdles he had to jump over, and instead carved his own path with the Wolfpack.
By the way, did someone say hurdles?
Because that’s the type of player that the Crimson Tide are getting.
Rogers will certainly be fighting for snaps behind Ryan Williams, who is expected to be the main option in DeBoer’s passing game. However, there was a significant sophomore slump for Williams in 2025.
Advertisement
Many speculated that Williams dealt with lingering injuries throughout the season, but those rumors were unconfirmed. But it was hard not to speculate when Williams averaged a full four yards less per catch than his freshman season, and totaled 200 less receiving yards
Regardless, Williams will be a fixture in Alabama’s attack, it’s just a question of who follows him?
Alabama lost Germie Bernard to the NFL and Horton went over to Texas A&M, and that right there opens two spots.
Rogers will certainly get an extended look, as well as Lotzeir Brooks who had shone as a true freshman last season.
It’s understandable for Gump Nation to feel some sort of trepidation coming into the 2026 season, considering Alabama was significantly outspent by its competitors during the portal season.
Advertisement
However, it shouldn’t be overlooked that DeBoer and Morgan have done an exceptional job at utilizing players to the best of their ability – even if they don’t possess the pedigree.
Brooks was a three-star recruit out of New Jersey, and managed to play a pivotal role in defeating Oklahoma in the first round of the College Football Playoffs.
Defensive lineman London Simmons was a three-star freshman and stepped in admirably when both Tim Keenan and Jeremiah Beaman went down with injuries.
No one actually knows how Rogers will fare once he takes the field. But previous performances in Raleigh seem to suggest that he’ll fit in just fine in Tuscaloosa.
Advertisement
These past two seasons, he was catching passes by CJ Bailey — and while Bailey is by no means a scrub, he doesn’t possess the arm talent and pedigree that potential Alabama quarterbacks Austin Mack and Keelon Russell have.
Previous results seem to suggest that Rogers will fit in just fine, but as we write this in January, all it is will just be speculation until September.
