This Alabama team has all the makings of a national championship contender. There is depth and experience on defense, the offensive line has drawn positive reviews, and there are plenty of weapons on offense. The one big question on everyone’s mind all offseason has been QB play. The competition has been decided with redshirt junior Ty Simpson set to take the first snaps, but how will he fare? And, who is next man up should he falter or suffer an injury?
The Departed
#4 Jalen Milroe
Jalen was one of the more mercurial
players you’ll see at the position. He was probably the Heisman favorite for a short time after the Georgia game last fall, but was positively terrible during Alabama’s late season swoon. He is now in Seattle where the Seahawks took him in the third round, and early returns have been positive. He is going to need some more time to develop before anyone thinks about starting him, but he has always oozed with potential.
The Starter
#15 Ty Simpson – RS Jr.
How can anyone not root for a guy who stuck around for three years to wait his turn in this modern era? Ty doing well would not only be good for Alabama, but for the sport as well. And make no mistake, he has all the tools. Ty’s doubters point to a single game in 2023 at South Florida, when Ty was thrown into action mid-game and threw all of nine passes while being sacked far too often, and the fact that he never supplanted Milroe despite the struggles. He was in fact a five star coming out of high school however, the son of a current college football head coach with nice touch on his passes and vastly underrated athleticism.
Still, he has to prove it on Saturdays, and until he does this position will be the big question mark on an otherwise strong roster. The good news is that word from camp suggests that he has taken the reins as team leader and made good decisions with the ball. If Alabama is going to win a national title, there will come a time this season when more will be needed from him. But, for now, that should be music to the ears of a fanbase that saw turnovers derail the season in 2024.
The Backups
#10 Austin Mack – RS So.
Mack ran third string on the 2024 squad and, funny enough, he’s the only one on this list with a college passing touchdown to his name. A specimen at 6’6” with a Howitzer attached to his right shoulder, Mack has the measurables to make NFL scouts drool. Based on the way that reps were distributed in the most recent scrimmage, he seems to be Simpson’s understudy at this stage.
#12 Keelon Russell – Fr.
While Alabama fans will always want to see whoever gives the team the best chance to win, Russell intrigues. His final ranking of .9997 on the 247 Composite makes him the highest rated prospect that Alabama has signed in the modern recruiting era. Russell’s high school and camp highlights jump off the screen, but like any true freshman he has some growing up to do before he’s ready to lead a SEC team. He also tragically lost his twin sister in an accident not long ago and has pushed through, but that level of grief certainly couldn’t help.
If all goes to plan, Ty will have an outstanding season and reach the first round potential that he was billed to have coming out of high school, leaving Austin and Keelon to battle it out next spring. The talent is there, we just need to see it happen.
Roll Tide.
