Alabama football hopes to have increased offensive production next season. It is widely known that Bama is losing star quarterback Bryce Young to the 2023 NFL Draft. Running back Jahmyr Gibbs will also depart, after leading the Crimson Tide in both rushing yards and receptions. With Young and Gibbs moving on, the Alabama offense will need new faces to step up as the statistical leaders of the unit.
There are plenty of potential options to choose from, as Alabama football is always loaded with talent. Incoming JUCO receiver Malik Benson and former transfer Jermaine Burton are both viable names, among others. Benson and Burton are both expected to start, and either could conceivably have big seasons in Alabama’s 2023 offense.
However, I decided to go with two homegrown, veteran products as my 2023 breakout candidates.
Alabama Football: Jase McClellan
Senior running back Jase McClellan was able to enjoy a fully healthy junior season in 2022. After serving as a reserve as a true freshman in 2020, McClellan suffered an ACL injury midway through his sophomore year.
This was a big blow to the 2021 Alabama offense, of which McClellan was a valuable piece. Of course, it was also a major setback in McClellan’s career. The running back missed a large chunk of his sophomore year, as well as most of the offseason preceding his junior year.
As a result, Jase McClellan was eased into the lineup in 2022, and mostly played behind Jahmyr Gibbs. In several games towards the end of the season, Alabama fans got glimpses of what McClellan would look like as a feature back, and the results were promising.
He ran for a hard-earned 84 yards on a career-high 19 carries in a physical game against Ole Miss. A week later, he ran for a career-high 156 yards and two touchdowns against Austin Peay. McClellan ran for a touchdown and caught another in the Iron Bowl, and ran for a score against Kansas State in the Sugar Bowl.
The Aledo, Texas product, who has always displayed a nose for the end zone, scored five total touchdowns on just 37 touches over the final three games of the 2022 season. For the year, he tallied 655 rushing yards and 174 receiving yards with 10 total touchdowns. The red zone ace already has 16 career offensive touchdowns, and could double that number with a breakout senior season.
Alabama Football: Ja’Corey Brooks
Junior wide receiver Ja’Corey Brooks has shown flashes of future stardom, most notably his game-tying touchdown catch as a true freshman in the 2021 Iron Bowl.
It still doesn’t feel as though Brooks has put it all together, but he made a significant leap in 2022. He finished his sophomore season with 39 catches for 674 yards and a team-high eight touchdown receptions. His 17.3 yards per catch also led the team.
Brooks was unique on a team full of speed-oriented receivers as a big-bodied target that could high-point the ball and make contested catches. He will play a similar role on the 2023 team. While he isn’t incredibly quick or explosive, his size, stride, and ball skills make him a tough cover and a constant big-play threat.
As a sophomore, Ja’Corey Brooks always seemed to step up when the team needed a playmaker. While he often disappeared against lesser competition, he had two of his best games in Alabama’s last-second losses to Tennessee and LSU. He also made touchdown grabs in close wins against Texas A&M and Ole Miss.
Like McClellan, Brooks finished the season strong, scoring touchdowns against both Auburn and Kansas State. He should continue to build upon his progress as a draft-eligible junior in 2023. Should Alabama find some stability at the quarterback position, Brooks could be one of the nation’s premier pass catchers.
As I previously stated, there are boundless potential stars on the 2023 Alabama offense. In terms of breakout players, somewhat proven commodities like Jase McClellan and Ja’Corey Brooks feel like more of a sure thing to me.
If either or both of these players have big seasons next fall, it will only serve to aid in the pursuit of a national championship for Alabama Football.