On Thursday, the star of one of many Alabama Crimson Tide’s most notable victories entered the switch portal, according to Matt Zenitz and Chris Hummer of 247 Sports activities.
Only one season in the past, the departure of vast receiver Ja’Corey Brooks would’ve appeared unattainable.
The hero of the 2021 Iron Bowl, Brooks caught a 28-yard touchdown from Bryce Younger to tie the sport with lower than a minute on the clock. Alabama finally gained in 4 overtimes.
He constructed on that success in 2022, racking up 674 yards and eight touchdowns on 39 catches. That is solely three yards and one catch behind workforce chief Jermaine Burton.
Brooks has struggled to make an impact in 2023, nevertheless. He solely performed in eight video games and caught three balls for a complete of 30 yards and no touchdowns.
So what occurred to the five-star prospect?
In keeping with Nick Alvarez of AL.com, a shoulder harm performed an enormous half within the step backward. That mentioned, Brooks nonetheless made an impression on particular groups, one thing coach Nick Saban praised final month.
“[Brooks has] been slightly harm, which has contributed to his function to a point,” AL.com quoted Saban as saying. “However he’s been nice. He’s performed an excellent job on particular groups. He’s performed all the things we’ve requested him to do. When he’s gone within the sport he’s performed a very good job of doing what he must do.”
It certainly would not assist that Alabama has relied extra on the run than they did in previous seasons with gunslingers like Tua Tagovailoa and Bryce Younger underneath heart. Quarterback Jalen Milroe has scored 12 instances on the bottom himself, and that is not counting the Tide’s deep working again room.
Additional complicating issues, the passes Milroe does throw have typically landed within the arms of Jermaine Burton and Isaiah Bond, the latter of whom had his personal last-minute heroic catch towards Auburn.
Between fewer passes and extra competitors, Brooks will search for a chance at one other faculty, one thing each different receiver recruited in 2020 and 2021 has performed, as famous by 247 Sports activities’ Mike Rodak.