Rome Odunze provides the best example of success of receivers under coach Kalen DeBoer as much as anyone.

Working with DeBoer and receivers coach JaMarcus Shephard at Washington, Odzune caught 167 passes for 2,785 yards and 20 touchdowns over two seasons. As a result, the Chicago Bears selected Odunze with the ninth overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Notable: Odunze is listed at 6-foot-3, 214 pounds.

Having a receiver like that worked pretty well for DeBoer. So, it’s not shocking Alabama is recruiting other tall receivers too.

The latest is Cederian Morgan, the No. 1 recruit in the state and the No. 12 recruit in the entire 2026 class, per the 247Sports Composite. The five-star recruit from Alexander City committed to the Crimson Tide on Wednesday.

Morgan is listed at 6-foot-4, 210 pounds. He’s the third receiver to commit to Alabama in this class, and each one stands about 6-foot-3 or taller.

Morgan continues a trend of tall receivers via high school/the portal to commit to or join DeBoer at Alabama. In the past two recruiting classes, both fully DeBoer classes, the average height of a receiver has been just under 6-foot-3. Take out the outlier Lotzeir Brooks, who’s listed at 5-foot-9, and the average increases to just under 6-foot-4.

That’s a noticeable increase from the last five years of receivers that Saban and company recruited via high schools and the transfer portal. The average height of a Saban receiver recruit: Just over 6 feet.

That includes the 2024 class, even though DeBoer had to re-recruit Ryan Williams and that class.

Saban hadn’t landed a receiver 6-foot-3 or taller since 2021. Both Ja’Corey Brooks and Agiye Hall were listed at that height.

This season, Alabama will have two receivers on its roster 6-foot-4 or taller in Miami transfer Isaiah Horton and freshman Derek Meadows. Then, more will be on the way for the 2026 season.

Tall doesn’t necessarily mean good or elite even, but Odunze provided a prime example of what that type of player can do in DeBoer’s offense. So it only makes sense Alabama looks to land more players like Odunze.

Nick Kelly is an Alabama beat writer for AL.com and the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X and Instagram.