Isaiah Horton will be counted on as one of Alabama football 's most high-profile incoming transfers this fall as a big, rangy receiving target for the Crimson Tide 's new starting quarterback. He was an oft-targeted option for Hurricanes star QB Cam Ward last season, and comes to Alabama as a fourth-year junior with two years of NCAA eligibility remaining. The Tuscaloosa News evaluated eight of Horton's 12 regular season games, using the All-22 video angle , for the following analysis:
Experience: Horton (6-foot-4, 210 pounds), from Murfreesboro, Tennessee, signed with Miami in 2022. He redshirted that year, and has seen increased playing time ever since, making 13 catches in 2023 before a breakout season at UM last year.
2024 stats: 56 catches, 616 yards, five TDs.
All-22 tape reviewed: Miami vs. Georgia Tech , Duke, Cal, FSU, FAMU, Florida , Virginia Tech , South Florida .
How he was used at Miami: Horton was primarily the X receiver in UM's offense as Cam Ward's biggest target in the Hurricanes WR room. The routes he was asked to run took him downfield quite a bit, and he got his share of targets in the red zone. Occasionally, he'd line up in the Z position for pre-snap motion, but he's primarily an X, and not suited for the slot role.
What he does well:Horton has soft hands, and can hang onto tough catches in traffic . At 6-4, he's got long arms and a big catch radius to corral passes that are slightly off target. He dropped just four passes all season, per Pro Football Focus, despite being one of UM's most heavily-targeted receivers. Horton has no fear going over the middle, showing the will and concentration needed to secure catches while taking hits from safeties.
What he doesn't do well: His blocking, in a word, was abysmal . He lacked aggressiveness in that area, and has difficulty sticking to defensive backs after initial engagement. He showed a tendency to turn his head to look for the ball while blocking, which can make the block more difficult to sustain. With Alabama losing an exceptional blocker at receiver to the transfer portal in the form of Kendrick Law , it will be all the more important for Horton to make big strides in this area.
How he fits at Alabama:As an outside receiver, Horton can add value to the Crimson Tide 's passing attack on all the routes that big, long-armed receivers thrive on. That means post patterns and other routes to the middle of the field, back-shoulder throws to the sideline, red-zone fades, etc.
Reach Tuscaloosa News columnist Chase Goodbread at cgoodbread@gannett.com. Follow on X @chasegoodbread.
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This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: All-22 video: Scouting Alabama football transfer WR Isaiah Horton
