We live in a society where shiny and new are valued over reliable and consistent.
This principle can also be applied to Alabama football. Sometimes, consumers of the Crimson Tide value young, incoming freshmen over veteran guys that have proven themselves. Alabama has an incredibly talented room of wide receivers, but most want information on young names. People are going crazy over the production from Ryan Williams and Caleb Odom among others in fall camp, as they should. However, there is a veteran who has the most experience of anyone on this roster.
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Kobe Prentice, a junior from Calera, Ala., has 49 catches for 651 receiving yards and four touchdowns across two seasons in an Alabama uniform. He has been productive in back-to-back years, yet it seems like he’s forgotten about.
Prentice, like the Tide’s 2020 Heisman Memorial Trophy winner DeVonta Smith, does not talk a lot.
He lets his actions on the field speak for him.
The former four-star chooses himself as the fastest receiver on the team, but he has a marquee opportunity to enhance his value for next year’s NFL Draft. Prentice has made everyone else feel at home in the room, but this season is one for him.
“I am not a vocal guy when it comes to leading,” Prentice said Wednesday. “I like to lead by example. When it comes to executing everything the coaches send at me and making sure the other guys are executing, that’s what I do.”
Prentice keeps it humble, but Robert Gillespie — Alabama’s running backs coach — sees a marquee year for the in-state product.
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“Kobe has been here for a while,” Gillespie said.
“He has made plays when he has been called upon, but I think with the new staff he has been a guy that has earned the trust and respect. He does not just catch the ball, but he is able to block on the perimeter and that is something he takes pride in. I think Kobe is a guy that everyone is excited to see him grow into his role as a football player.”
He is willing to do anything to help the offense excel and Alabama win games.
Prentice has a mindset that other all-around receivers had for the Tide that became first-round draft picks. He wants the ball in hands; however, he also understands that doing some dirty work may be in the cards too.
Alabama is looking forward to what Prentice does in the fall.
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Stephen M. Smith is the senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
