Year 1 of the Kalen DeBoer era is in the books, pending the ReliaQuest bowl. While it was an underwhelming year by all accords, there was one very conspicuous silver lining. True freshman WR Ryan Williams burst onto the scene from the jump. The 17-year-old’s the latest descendant in the storied lineage of wide receivers to pass through Tuscaloosa. Alabama is actively seeking to supplement Williams by bolstering its receiving corp.

Bama has been a bit of a revolving door since the transfer portal opened last week. A number of players have left, and just as many have been courted to replenish the roster. Depth at the receiver position is particularly a priority. The likes of Kendrick Law, Caleb Odom, and Kobe Prentice have all moved on via the portal. Owing to Ryan Williams and Germie Bernard’s stronghold as the principal pairing, Alabama need ancillary pieces who’ll consent to potentially being lower down the pecking order. Not to mention their sensational Signing Day flip, Derek Meadows. This inadvertently hampers their ability to recruit. However, On3’s Andrew Bone relays some developments on that front.

Appearing on the On3 Recruits YouTube channel, Bone shed light on where the portal activity pertaining to Alabama stands. He spoke about how the program is being meticulous and taking things slowly since there isn’t an immediate need. 2 players have been weighed up so far. “KC Concepcion…Played at NC State these last two seasons. Charlotte native. He was in Tuscaloosa for an official [visit] this past weekend,” said Andrew Bone. 

“One guy [will visit] starting on Monday. Mario Craver, who is originally from Clay-Chalkville High School in Alabama. One of the most explosive players in the state during his senior season. Played at Mississippi State. Now he’s coming back for an official with Alabama, so we’ll see,” he continued. A 4-star prospect in the 2024 class, Craver appeared in 8 games for the Bulldogs his freshman year. He garnered 368 yards on 17 receptions, along with 3 touchdowns.

The slow pacing of the process may not be by design. There is an overarching uncertainty that adds a significant wrinkle to Alabama’s pursuit of pieces on offense. QB Jalen Milroe’s disposition in Tuscaloosa remains up in the air. He has confirmed he shall partake in their Bowl game. Then, he’ll make a final decision on whether he’s declaring for the NFL Draft or returning to school. This uncertainty under center naturally affects their onboarding of a pass-catcher. Kalen DeBoer will hope for some clarity soon, and with a positive outcome.

One of these two targets is the most coveted WR in the transfer portal

If Alabama were able to land either target, they’d have done well. However, one stands to be a massive coup. KC Concepcion ranks no.2 in 247Sports’ rankings of players entering the portal this offseason. The 2023 ACC Rookie of the Year leaves an NC State program in a state of flux. The sophomore’s production numbers were way down from his freshman season. This was largely due to NC State’s own issues at quarterback. However, their path to acquiring him is not linear.

There are as many as 5 programs on Concepcion’s radar. Penn State, Auburn, Alabama, Colorado and Kansas State are all reportedly in the mix. Kansas State has also acquired the services of KC’s younger brother Arrion, a 3-star WR in the 2025 class. Andrew Bone doesn’t seem particularly optimistic either. 

“Doesn’t seem like [KC Concepcion is] going to end up being a part of Alabama’s class. At least not yet. He’s going to take a visit to Colorado. We’re going to kind of continue to wait and see what Alabama decides to do there,” he claimed. The aforementioned Jalen Milroe effect could tangibly be a facet at play. Whomever Alabama manages to lure, they can rest on their laurels to an extent. Ryan Williams is only just getting started.