Alabama WR Lotzeir Brooks returning for 2026 season

Standout freshman wide receiver Lotzeir Brooks will return to Alabama for the 2026 season. An announcement came on Tuesday evening via Yea Alabama. Retaining your top players sometimes can be just as important as getting new ones through the NCAA transfer portal. And Brooks certainly fits in that category, being a massive piece of Kalen DeBoer‘s offense moving forward.

“Lotzeir Brooks chose to re-up with Alabama after a strong close to the season,” Aaron Suttles of Yea Alabama said via X. “He talks his decision to stay at Alabama, cites strong relationship with Coach Kalen DeBoer and Ryan Grubb.”

Brooks impressed in Tuscaloosa from the moment he stepped on campus. While he did not make an impact in the 2025 opener vs. Florida State, DeBoer quickly got him more playing time. All but one of Alabama’s 15 games saw Brooks out on the field, only missing the South Carolina game.

Everyone had to wait for the pure breakout game until the College Football Playoff first-round matchup against Oklahoma. Brooks came up massive in clutch moments, scoring two touchdowns to help Alabama advance. In total, he caught five passes for 76 yards on the night. All three of those stats are career highs entering next year.

Looking at his whole season, Brooks went for 441 yards and those two scores on 32 receptions. Depending on what Isaiah Horton does with the NFL Draft, he might be the second-leading receiver back on campus behind Ryan Williams.

Lotzeir Brooks answers one of few questions regarding 2026 Alabama offense

Brooks is one of the few answers Alabama currently has on the offensive end. DeBoer is going to bring in a lot of fresh faces for the group heading into the 2026 season. Most of those outside the wide receiver room, which might bring back a good chunk of familiarity.

Right now, everyone is waiting to see what quarterback Ty Simpson decides to do. He can either return for another season, making it year No. 2 as the starter. But the NFL is an enticing opportunity as well if the right draft grades come back.

Alabama is also looking to retool the offensive line after a weird 2025. Some guys are leaving for the NFL, while others are in the transfer portal at the moment. You have to imagine the Crimson Tide will dip into the portal themselves to find a new set of players up front.