When you think of the Nick Saban era at the University of Alabama, you probably think of generational defenses and arguably the greatest run on running back talent we’ve ever seen. As of 2016, the quarterbacks have taken center stage to become the prominent position group at the university including: Jalen Hurts, Tua Tagovailoa, Mac Jones, and Bryce Young. Whatever the case may be, the group that has arguably been the most stable and consistent (up until 2022, at least) has been the wide receivers. I’d like to set the table first, but at the end, we’ll embark on the tall task of ranking the top five receivers of the Saban era.
From the early days of the Saban tenure, we saw a dominant WR1 presence. DJ Hall, an often forgotten about figure, was undoubtedly a star. He was a two-time first team All-SEC selection, the first Alabama wide out to record five consecutive 100 yard games, and at the time, the all time leading receiver in the school’s history. When a player that has that transcendent level of success becomes somewhat of an afterthought, you truly begin to understand how great this run has been.
So, what came after that? The highest rated recruit in program history, Julio Jones. Obviously, that name needs no further fleshing out, but what’s important to note is how massive the shift was nationally in terms of the way the program was viewed to recruits. That ‘08 recruiting class was program-shifting in more ways than that, but that’s another story for another day. While the identity of the team was still run heavy and dependent on great defense, the Julio Jones’ of the world saw Alabama as a landing spot from then on. As great of a player as he was at Alabama, that distinction’s as important as anything he did on the field.
After Julio’s monster career, many thought there was no way anyone could come along and top his impact. Boy, were we wrong. What happened to follow after Julio’s reign is unprecedented. The names to follow include Amari Cooper, Calvin Ridley, Jerry Jeudy, Henry Ruggs, Jaylen Waddle, DeVonta Smith, John Metchie, and Jameson Williams. How great were these guys? Metchie was the lowest draft pick of the bunch and he went…. 44th overall in the 2nd round. It’s legitimately laughable how much talent was in the room at the same time.
Now, here’s the hard part. I should make it very clear that my top five won’t directly reflect accolades, NFL success, or even legacy & impact for a guy like Julio. That’s what the aforementioned words were for. To properly give everyone their just due. However, I will factor in time period and the landscape of college football. It’s only fair. Julio didn’t play in the same world as DeVonta Smith. Amari Cooper didn’t play in the same world as Jameson Williams. That said, let’s dive into it.
Top Five (In Order):
DeVonta Smith – 235 rec, 3965 yards, & 47 total TD’s. (Alabama Records)
Alabama WR DeVonta Smith has 7 catches, 219 yards and 3 touchdowns in the FIRST half. This TD grab is jawdropping. pic.twitter.com/3QXdyQQZOw
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) December 6, 2020
Amari Cooper – 228 rec, 3463 yards, & 31 TD’s.
Days until Alabama Football: Amari Cooper pic.twitter.com/dFtYnyFOBt
— Trinidad C. Miller (@trin_miller61) August 23, 2018
Julio Jones – 179 rec, 2653 yards, & 17 total TD’s.
Days until Alabama Football: Quintorris Lopez “Julio” Jones pic.twitter.com/6BAibF9NiR
— Adam (@adam_rmft) September 18, 2020
Jaylen Waddle – 106 rec, 1999 yards, & 20 total TD’s.
4 catches 98 yards 3 touchdowns.
3 returns 132 yards & 1 touchdown.despite the outcome i’d never seen anything like this. waddle is 1 of 1. pic.twitter.com/PM5cehpQFP
— Kyron Samuels (@kyronsamuels) May 5, 2023
Jerry Jeudy – 159 rec, 2742 yards, 26 total TD’s.
First play of the game for Alabama. Jerry Jeudy for the easy 85-yard TD. pic.twitter.com/7qtMIN2wYK
— Jordan Reid (@Jordan_Reid) January 1, 2020
Honorable Mention:
3 days until Alabama football! celebrate watching Calvin Ridley break some MSU ankles! pic.twitter.com/u65GzaOa0Q
— Barstool Bama (@BarstoolAlabama) August 31, 2022
last one. the wide open highlights are cool, but these are the tough catches you have to make at the next level. there’s a lot of these going through the tape. pic.twitter.com/9NNI2jRYDh
— Kyron Samuels (@kyronsamuels) January 28, 2022
Jameson Williams is gonna wreck the league, goddamn. pic.twitter.com/JvfHfTSwtx
— Johnny Kinsley (Deep Ball Project Is Out Now!) (@Brickwallblitz) April 6, 2022
Days until Alabama Football: DJ Hall pic.twitter.com/XGyNuIyhjd
— Riley Chandler (@hadenriley) August 11, 2017
This is why many evaluators are so excited about Alabama WR Henry Ruggs III. Floors the gas pedal and hits top speed in the blink of an eye.
pic.twitter.com/wzTkZg64VV— Jordan Reid (@Jordan_Reid) September 14, 2019