Ty Simpson is confident in what Isaiah Horton can bring to Alabama football.
Simpson, the Crimson Tide quarterback, knows Horton well. The two played together in Tennessee high school football, both standing out as top players in the state. They were teammates on a 7-on-7 squad. So, when Horton entered the transfer portal after three seasons at Miami, Simpson got the call.
“(Horton) was like, ‘Hey, Alabama hit me up. What do you think?’” Simpson told Tuscaloosa News. “And I was like, ‘Dude, you’re crazy if you don’t come visit and come here. … This offense is built for guys like you.’”
So, who are these “guys like” Horton? According to Simpson, Horton is a “big, strong receiver” who can “go up and get the ball.” Standing 6-foot-4 and weighing 205 pounds, Horton is a red zone threat that complements Alabama’s Ryan Williams and Germie Bernard. For Simpson, Horton checks all the boxes for a wide receiver out of the transfer portal.
This is the kind of wide receiver Horton has always been.
Horton’s High School Journey
At Oakland High School in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, head coach Kevin Creasy didn’t run a pass-heavy offense, relying instead on a standout running back, Jordan James, a four-star recruit now at Oregon. But when Horton transferred to Oakland before his junior year, Creasy realized that his offense would need to adapt for a talent like Horton.
“We knew what we had,” Creasy recalled.
Over two seasons, Horton amassed 71 catches for 1,345 yards and 17 touchdowns, earning all-area and all-state honors, while helping the team secure a state championship.
As Horton attracted the attention of programs like Tennessee, Alabama, Florida, and Miami, Creasy remembers how then-Miami coach Manny Diaz was “secretly in love with him” but kept it low-key to avoid drawing attention from other schools.
Creasy described Horton as a fierce competitor: someone capable of making “crazy catches that the normal receiver won’t be able to make,” who plays “with no fear” and is “unselfish” on the field. For Creasy, Horton is the kind of receiver ready for the challenges at Alabama.
“I think, with the DBs at Alabama, it’s kind of like when he was in high school. He’s going to be challenged every day,” Creasy said. “That’s kind of something he likes. He’s never been a guy who’s been bored at practice. He’s going to get in there and compete every day on a high level with some really good DBs. And he knows, ultimately, that’s going to make him better.”
Horton’s Impact at Miami
At Miami, Horton proved to be more than just a typical receiver. Elijah Arroyo, a Miami tight end, called Horton dynamic—a deep threat unafraid of contact. In his redshirt sophomore season, Horton made his mark, but for Arroyo, it wasn’t just his skills that stood out.
“That’s my guy,” Arroyo said at the 2025 Senior Bowl. “Great guy off the field. He cares about other people. A lot of people say that receivers are kind of selfish, prima donnas. He’s not that at all. He cares about us, he cares about the team. Very selfless.”
Jalen Rivers, an offensive tackle for Miami, saw Horton as a receiver with a relentless drive to improve. “He wants to get better,” Rivers said. “He doesn’t want to settle. To be great, you have to think that, to have that mindset. And he has that.”
In his final season with the Hurricanes in 2024, Horton posted 56 catches for 616 yards and five touchdowns after a quieter start to his Miami career. Xavier Restrepo, the team’s leading receiver, called Horton “explosive” and noted his ability to “move like one of us” despite being five inches taller.
“He’s a one-on-one nightmare,” Restrepo said. “He understands football really well as well. He’s learned this past year. Honestly, he’s a great dude. He’s contagious to be around.”
This is the kind of receiver that Simpson believes Horton could be at Alabama with two seasons of eligibility remaining.
It didn’t take long for Horton to embrace the opportunity.
“(Horton) told me that night… ‘I’m coming,’” Simpson said. “And I was like, ‘Yeah, you’d be stupid not to.’”
