Alabama football’s second fall scrimmage provided another important evaluation opportunity for Kalen DeBoer and his coaching staff as the Crimson Tide continues to prepare for the 2026 season.
With the season opener against East Carolina now just around the corner, Alabama is beginning to get a much clearer picture of which players are ready to take on significant roles.
The Crimson Tide still has several position battles to sort through, but Thursday’s scrimmage offered plenty of positive signs.
Several Alabama football players appear to be trending in the right direction, but three names in particular stand out following the second scrimmage.
1. Derek Meadows, WR
Derek Meadows may be one of the biggest winners coming out of Alabama’s second fall scrimmage.
The sophomore wide receiver has been competing for a larger role in Alabama’s offense, and Thursday gave him another opportunity to show what he can bring to the Crimson Tide.
According to Kalen DeBoer, Meadows received more opportunities than most of Alabama’s receivers during the scrimmage and made the most of them.
“I thought today was a really big growth day for him,” DeBoer said, specifically pointing to Meadows’ ability to make competitive catches.
At 6-foot-5, Meadows provides Alabama with something different in the receiver room. His size and catch radius give the Crimson Tide a legitimate target who can win contested situations and create problems in the red zone.
Meadows was already viewed as a potential breakout candidate entering the season, and his performance in the second scrimmage only adds to the belief that he could have a much bigger role in 2026.
With Lotzeir Brooks missing the scrimmage, Meadows had more opportunities. He appears to be taking advantage of them.
His stock is clearly trending up.
2. Kevin Riley, RB
The running back competition at Alabama has become one of the more intriguing position battles on the roster, and Kevin Riley appears to be making a strong push.
Riley reportedly had an explosive performance during Thursday’s second scrimmage, breaking several runs and scoring the first touchdown of the day. Touchdown Alabama reported that Riley looked like Alabama’s most explosive running back during the scrimmage.
That’s significant for a player who entered the fall competing for carries in a crowded running back room.
Riley had 224 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 59 carries last season while also contributing 19 receptions for 176 yards and a touchdown.
Now, the former four-star prospect appears to be putting together the kind of fall camp that could lead to a much larger role.
Alabama needs explosive plays from its running game, and Riley’s ability to create them could make him increasingly difficult for the coaching staff to keep off the field.
The second scrimmage certainly didn’t hurt his case.
3. Dre Kirkpatrick Jr., DB
Dre Kirkpatrick Jr. is another Alabama defensive back whose stock continues to rise.
The Crimson Tide entered fall camp with plenty of established talent in the secondary, making playing time difficult to come by. Kirkpatrick has nevertheless continued to make plays and force his way into the conversation.
That trend continued during the second scrimmage.
Kirkpatrick came away with a pick-six of quarterback Keelon Russell, according to reports following the scrimmage. His ability to consistently find the football has been one of the more notable parts of his preseason.
Kirkpatrick also showed that playmaking ability during Alabama’s A-Day scrimmage, when he intercepted Austin Mack on a deep pass.
That consistency matters.
Alabama has an incredibly deep defensive back room, but Kirkpatrick is making a strong argument that he needs to be part of the rotation.
His ability to create turnovers could ultimately be what separates him from the competition for meaningful snaps.
Alabama Football Is Starting to Get More Clarity
The second scrimmage didn’t answer every question surrounding Alabama football, but it provided another important snapshot of where the roster stands heading into the final stretch of fall camp.
For Meadows, the opportunity is turning into production.
For Riley, explosive plays are strengthening his case for more carries.
And for Kirkpatrick, creating turnovers is making it increasingly difficult to overlook him in a talented secondary.
There is still work to be done before Alabama opens the season, but all three players have given the Crimson Tide plenty of reasons to be encouraged.
If their momentum continues into the final practices of fall camp, Derek Meadows, Kevin Riley and Dre Kirkpatrick Jr. could all find themselves playing much larger roles for Alabama in 2026.
3 Alabama Football Players Trending Up Following the Crimson Tide’s Second Fall Scrimmage