Kalen DeBoer said on Wednesday that Rico Scott probably has the edge over Derek Meadows for Alabama’s third wide receiver spot against East Carolina, but he stopped short of closing the door. The Alabama coach said Scott is the one who has been around a little bit longer, yet Meadows can still take that role.
The question matters now because Ryan Williams and Lotzeir Brooks are widely expected to start at wide receiver for Alabama, which leaves one more spot in a rotation that could shape the passing game against East Carolina. DeBoer was asked about the choice during the SEC Coaches Teleconference, and his answer pointed to Scott as the likely option while keeping Meadows in the frame.
DeBoer said the decision can depend on personnel, including whether Alabama uses eleven or twelve personnel, how many tight ends are on the field and whether multiple running backs are part of the package. In other words, the third receiver spot is not fixed on reputation alone. It can shift with the formation, and that gives Alabama room to use whichever player fits the look best.
That is where Scott’s experience matters. Last season, he finished with two receiving touchdowns on 11 receptions for 98 yards, a modest but useful record in a passing attack that still needs players who can step into defined jobs. Meadows, meanwhile, did not have a catch last season, but he drew notice for a strong spring and fall camp, which is why his name stayed in the conversation at all.
DeBoer made clear that the competition is not really a winner-take-all verdict between two receivers so much as a search for the best fit on a given snap. He said both players are going to be integral parts and both are going to be in the mix, having an impact, even if Scott gets the nod first.
That leaves the opener against East Carolina as the first real test of how Alabama wants to sort out its wideout depth behind Williams and Brooks. Scott looks like the safer choice to start in that third role, but Meadows has done enough to stay on the edge of it, and the game-day rotation will show whether Alabama values experience, spring momentum or formation flexibility most.
