At Alabama, the standard at wide receiver isn't built — it's reloaded. That reality has been shown time and time again throughout the program's history, from the days of Julio Jones to Amari Cooper, from Calvin Ridley to DeVonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle. Year after year, the Crimson Tide receiver room has long operated like a track & field relay, with one star handing the baton to the next without breaking stride, without lowering the bar, or blinking under expectations.
And now, as Alabama turns the page towards the 2026 season, that same baton is once again being extended forward by Crimson Tide WR Germie Bernard.
This torch is being passed after the transfer wideout spent the last two seasons being the most consistent and productive pass catcher in the Crimson Tide's receiving corps. After helping carry the load and being counted on firsthand as a dependable target in critical moments, Bernard is now helping signal to fans and media who he thinks are next in line. That moment was evident by Bernard on Friday in Indianapolis ahead of his 2026 NFL Combine workout, when he spoke to reporters and pointed to two returning Alabama WR's who he expects to take over the responsibilities of being the next men at the position this fall.
"We've got a couple young guys, but I think Rico Scott and Lotzeir Brooks," Bernard said. "Those are guys that you guys are gonna see those guys got a lot of potential. I think they're gonna do really well, especially in the system of Ryan Grubb. He makes sure that he's able to get the ball in the guys' hands that can make plays, and each of those guys can make plays."
Germie Bernard says Rico Scott and Lotzeir Brooks are up next for Alabama
For Alabama fans, Bernard's early endorsement of Scott and Brooks should be reassuring music to the ears of many. I say this because both talented wideouts have flashed in limited opportunities, showing traits that fit the modern mold of a Crimson Tide playmaker. Scott's game is built on explosiveness; meanwhile, Brooks brings a different, but equally valuable dynamic as a smooth route runner who can move the chains. Both skill sets will be heavily needed in Coach Grubb's second season on the headset as Alabama's offensive coordinator.
Most eyes in between the Crimson Tide's facilities, as well as those on the outside looking in, are already expecting a jump from Brooks ahead of his sophomore campaign in Tuscaloosa. Those expectations come after seeing the New Jersey native carve out a role in the Alabama offense, racking up 32 receptions through 13 games for 441 yards.
During this run, Brooks proved to be a reliable commodity by making key plays on later downs, like how he did on the road against Missouri, reeling in a clutch 29-yard conversion on fourth-and-8 from Ty Simpson to help the Tide seal the game. Brooks later doubled down on his heroics that season in Alabama's college football playoff victory over Oklahoma by snagging a career-high 5 passes for 79 yards and two touchdowns to help bridge a 17-point deficit and help the Tide advance in the postseason.
In Scott's case, his intrigue lies in the ceiling of consistent opportunity. The former Pennsylvania blue-chip recruit has demonstrated natural ball tracking ability on deep shots and the twitch to separate at the top of routes during his first two seasons in Tuscaloosa as well.
In 24 career games played, Scott has reeled in 30 passes for 433 yards and 4 touchdowns. Now, coming off two seasons of being a rotational depth player, Bernard, like many, is waiting to see if he can get a bigger piece of the pie in 2026. The main thing with Scott will be the Alabama coaching staff determining if his consistency in the short-to-intermediate game and contested-catch ability in situational areas are up to par for their liking.
All in all, I believe Scott and Brooks both have the tools that pair nicely alongside Ryan Williams and others to successfully replace the production of Bernard and transfer WR Isaiah Horton, who opted to take his talents to College Station. With that being said, if Bernard's endorsements of the two WRs are spot on, then Brooks and Scott have the potential to make life much easier on Ryan Grubb and the Alabama offense in 2026.