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After missing out on Auburn transfer WR Cam Coleman, Kalen DeBoer and Alabama pivoted to land former blue-chip WR Noah Rogers, who produced 919 yards across two seasons at NC State.
Rogers acclimated himself quickly and was one of the standout performers throughout spring practice. He seemed to be the obvious candidate to start alongside returning starters Ryan Coleman-Williams and Lotzeir Brooks on the outside, but he suffered an injury during the A-Day scrimmage that threw a wrench into those plans.
DeBoer noted back in the spring that Rogers would miss some of the 2026 season as a result. While the exact injury was never revealed, there has been some quiet rumbling in recent weeks that Rogers was ahead of schedule.
DeBoer addressed that at SEC Media Days while speaking with Ryan Fowler of Tide 100.9:
“Yeah, he’s doing a great job," DeBoer said. "I think early on when he first was injured, probably a timeline that he’s surpassed. I would expect him to still miss some games early in the season, but I’m not going to set limits on what he can do as far as how quickly he can come back. We want to be smart. He has done a phenomenal job, along with our elite training staff and medical staff, to execute the plan that was put in place. He’s coming along very nicely.”
Kalen DeBoer provides a positive injury update on NC State transfer WR Noah Rogers
DeBoer isn't setting limits on Rogers' progression and return, but they're going to be cautious in not pushing him too much so that a reinjury doesn't occur. Alabama's schedule sets up in a way that should allow them to get off to a good start.
Rogers should be back by the time the gauntlet begins in October. Alabama has a five-game stretch starting October 10th that consists of vs. Georgia, at Tennessee, vs. Texas A&M, at LSU, and at Vanderbilt.
Rogers' injury opened the door for guys like Rico Scott, Derek Meadows, and true freshman Cederian Morgan to make a push toward a starting role. Alabama has the talent to survive Rogers' injury early in the season, but depth is a bit of a question once you get past the first five. Any additional injuries could really test the depth, forcing guys who are not part of the immediate plans to have to get on the field quicker than would be ideal.
Getting Rogers back will be critical from a depth standpoint. His experience will also be welcomed for a young group. Adding a talented receiver back into the mix for the October stretch will be key for Alabama's offense.
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This article was originally published on bamahammer.com as Kalen DeBoer hints Alabama could get WR Noah Rogers back sooner than expected.
