The Alabama quarterback competition is still open between junior Jalen Hurts and sophomore Tua Tagovailoa. Nick Saban has not named a victor, and will need time in training camp before any decision likely comes to fruition.

But the ongoing battle will never stop analysts and fans alike from projecting what the Crimson Tide offense could look like with Tagovailoa in charge of the huddle. Barton Simmons, 247Sports director of scouting, did exactly that during a Tuesday afternoon appearance on The Paul Finebaum Show. Expectations are very high for a Tagovailoa-led offense.

“This is potentially the best offense that Nick Saban has had because of that, because Tua is such a dynamic passer, because the wide receivers and those freshmen,” Simmons told Finebaum. “(New receivers coach) Josh Gattis has really come in as a wide receiver doctor, who can really coach those guys up from a technique standpoint. I think that unlocks that ability. The running back crops is crazy good. I think this is the best offense Nick Saban has had. I think it will be a unique year because that’s going to be the featured unit of this team. It’s been awhile since we’ve seen that. Tua is the key to that to really unlock how good that offense can be.”

Alabama’s assortment of skill players could be unmatched with players like Damien Harris and Najee Harris in the backfield alongside receivers like DeVonta Smith, Jerry Jeudy and Henry Ruggs III.

Saban has not named his starter for the 2018 season, but Tagovailoa remains the favorite despite Hurts’ SEC Offensive Player of the Year honors in 2016 and a 27-2 record since his enrollment.

“I think it’s Tua’s job,” Simmons said. “Look, I had a chance to see him a lot at the high-school level. I was optimistic about how good he was going to be as a freshman. I think this is they type of guy that, had Tua played week one as a true freshman, he grows into a quarterback where Alabama never really is close anybody by the end of the year. I think he’s that good. I think he’s that talented.

“I think Jalen Hurts is a baller, and I think that he’s the type of guy that it makes sense to me for Alabama to find ways to use both of them regularly throughout the year. It’s just hard for me to envision a scenario where Tua is not the starter, particularly given all of the weapons that they’ve got right now at wide receiver, at the offensive skill spots. I just think he can facilitate those and distribute the ball better than Jalen Hurts can, and the spring game was a great opportunity to prove me wrong. He just didn’t.”