After losing Isaiah Horton in the Transfer Portal and Germie Bernard to the NFL Draft, Alabama needed to find an impact player at WR in the portal. They kicked the tires on Auburn's Cam Coleman, but were never going to be in the same neighborhood financially as what Texas was prepared to offer.
Based on Coleman's production, the Longhorns overpaid.
The Crimson Tide's consolation was NC State transfer Noah Rogers, who produced 929 receiving yards the last two seasons in Raleigh. But based on the production Alabama has gotten from Rogers so far, just like Texas, they overpaid.
Rogers has not been a difference-maker for Alabama yet, and time is dwindling for him to make an impact in 2026.
Rogers was a standout in spring practice before suffering a knee injury that threatened to end his season. He worked hard to get back, and he beat his injury timeline by a substantial margin.
He made his Alabama debut against South Carolina, but has barely seen the field since. His only extended run this season came during garbage time against Mississippi State.
It looked like opportunity was knocking for him when Ryan Coleman-Williams suffered an injury against Georgia that kept him out of games against Tennessee and Texas A&M the last couple of weeks, but Rogers has still struggled to get on the field.
Rogers' lack of usage has been a major talking point since then. Kalen DeBoer was asked about it on Wednesday during the SEC Coaches' teleconference.
"Noah's done a really good job coming along in the practices," DeBoer said. "I think a lot of it is just the other guys that are also, or have taken steps forward throughout the course of the season. Rico (Scott) showed up in a big way this last weekend, and he's been pretty consistent both as a receiver and as a blocker. I think also just personnel grouping and things like that, with what we've done with more tight ends. There's less reps for the wide receivers. We really think highly of Noah. He's a really good football player, and we want to find ways to incorporate him into the offense on a higher level with more opportunities, but that always means that you're taking someone else off the field, as well."
Kalen DeBoer's excuse for Noah Rogers' limited role makes very little sense
For starters, we talked about it in the preseason about how Alabama's tight end usage would limit the opportunities for the receivers. In that part, DeBoer's explanation makes perfect sense.
What doesn't make sense is his mention of Rico Scott. Most Alabama fans are fine with Scott and Lotzeir Brooks taking a bunch of snaps. They've both earned it.
But with Coleman-Williams out, there have been a lot of snaps available for a third receiver. That third receiver has consistently been sophomore Derek Meadows. In two games without Coleman-Williams, Meadows has managed just two receptions for eight yards.
Alabama has needed another WR to get separation and be a threat for opposing secondaries. Meadows hasn't done that, but has been on the field for the vast majority of snaps instead of Rogers or freshman Cederian Morgan.
That is what has been difficult for fans to understand. And that's no disrespect to Meadows, who has certainly worked hard and earned a level of trust from the coaching staff that the others haven't. But at a certain point, especially at a position like WR, you've got to make some plays.
Alabama has needed another playmaker to step up with Coleman-Williams out. That's what Rogers was brought to Tuscaloosa to be.
But with 67% of the regular season over with, Rogers hasn't really been given that chance.
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