After a year off from quarterback competitions, Alabama is set to have another heated battle this spring. Monday, starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa announced he would declare for this year’s NFL Draft, leaving a vacancy at the driver’s seat of one of college football’s most potent offenses over the past two years. Mac Jones filled in for an injured Tagovailoa this season which might give the rising redshirt junior a leg up in this year’s competition. However, Jones will have to fend off a trio of young passers to hold onto the starting spot as the Crimson Tide returns rising sophomore Taulia Tagovailoa and rising redshirt freshman Paul Tyson while also bringing in five-star signee Bryce Young. Here’s a look at each member of Alabama’s current quarterback room and what he offers to the Crimson Tide.

Mac Jones

Alabama head coach Nick Saban values starting experience, especially at the quarterback position. Heading into the spring, Jones is the only member of his quarterback room who can offer him that. This past season, the former Elite 11 quarterback completed 68.8 percent of his passes for 1,503 yards and 14 touchdowns with three interceptions while making four starts. Pros: Jones provides a sense of dependability to Alabama’s offense. The 6-foot-2, 205-pound right-hander flashed his arm strength during the Citrus Bowl when he delivered a perfectly-placed strike to Jerry Jeudy for an 85-yard touchdown on the Crimson Tide’s first offensive play of the game. Jones might not have the mobility the Crimson Tide has become accustomed to in Jalen Hurts and Tua Tagovailoa, but he has shown escapability in the pocket and the necessary athleticism to make plays with his feet when need be. Cons: Despite Jones’ impressive numbers, it could be argued that he doesn’t have as high of a ceiling as other quarterbacks on Alabama’s roster. Bryce Young offers more with his feet, while Taulia Tagovailoa has shown the same elusiveness as his older brother. At times, Alabama had to curtail its offense in order not to complicate things for Jones. In order to win the job this year, he’ll need to have the Crimson Tide operating on full cylinders.

Bryce Young

Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback signee Bryce Young throws a pass against the East team during the All-American Bowl. Photo | Getty Images

Young is perhaps the most exciting option Alabama has at quarterback. The California native comes to the Crimson Tide ranked as the No. 1 dual-threat quarterback and No. 3 player overall in this year’s class. During his senior season of high school, Young completed 72.6 percent of his passes for 4,528 yards and 58 touchdowns with six interceptions while adding another 357 yards and 10 more scores on the ground. He is currently on campus as an early enrollee. Pros: If Alabama were to make this decision solely on talent, Young would likely be the pick. The 6-foot, 190-pound dynamo has drawn comparisons to former Heisman Trophy winner Kyler Murray and arrives in Tuscaloosa, Ala., with the same type of buzz that surrounded Tua Tagovailoa three years ago. By joining Alabama as an early enrollee, Young will have a chance to learn the Crimson Tide’s playbook and gain much-needed reps in the spring.

Cons: Remember that thing about Saban loving experience? That could be a problem for Young, who will have to pick up things on the fly during his first season. Four years ago, we saw Hurts grab a starting spot after joining the team as an early enrollee. However, Young will face stiffer competition in this year’s battle. Another concern about Young is his size. The five-star freshman will likely need to bulk up his 190-pound frame in order to make it through an entire season in the SEC.

Taulia Tagovailoa

As his older brother pointed out Monday, there will still be another Tagovailoa at Alabama. While Taulia Tagovailoa saw limited action during his first season, the 5-foot-11, 208-pound right-hander was solid during his time on the field, completing 9 of 12 passes for 100 yards and a touchdown over five appearances. Pros: Taulia Tagovailoa seems to play the game with the same moxie as his older brother. During high school, he tore apart the Alabama state record books, becoming the first player to have at least four 400-yard passing performances in his career. He’s also a winner and helped lead Thompson High School to the Class 7A state final during his senior season. Taulia Tagovailoa’s mobility and quick release fit into Alabama’s current scheme, and he’s at least had the opportunity to get his feet wet in a few games. Cons: Taulia Tagovailoa is a nice blend of what Jones and Young offer. However, he is currently not as pure of a passer as Jones and doesn’t have the same speed with his feet as Young. Like Young, Taulia Tagovailoa’s size might be a problem. Although, at 208 pounds, he’s built a little sturdier than his freshman teammate.



Paul Tyson

Tyson is the least-mentioned of Alabama’s quarterbacks. However, the former four-star recruit isn’t one to be ignored. While Tyson didn’t record any stats over his lone appearance this season against Western Carolina, he showed what he can do with his arm during high school where he threw for more than 6,500 yards and 69 touchdowns with only 13 interceptions in his 24 games as a starter. Pros: Tyson, the great-grandson of legendary Alabama coach Paul “Bear” Bryant, doesn’t just have football in his blood, he’s also built like a prototypical passer. Listed at 6-foot-5, 220 pounds, the right-hander has a strong, accurate arm capable of distributing the ball to Alabama’s several playmakers on offense.

Cons: While Tyson has nice size, he lacks the mobility of Alabama’s other quarterbacks. The Crimson Tide didn’t dial up too many designed quarterback runs last season, but still had a quarterback to keep defenses honest. Tyson should still be able to run Alabama’s offense but seems a bit one-dimensional compared to the Crimson Tide’s other options.

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Andrew Bone, of BamaInsider.com, is a real estate broker in the state of Alabama.

Contact Andrew Bone for all of your real estate needs; buyers, sellers, investors, developers. Property management; BoneHomeTours.com Call 205-531-5577 or click here

