Alabama quarterback signee Bryce Young arrives in Tuscaloosa this week as record-breaking quarterback Tua Tagovailoa leaves for the NFL.

Young, the 5-star prospect from Mater Dei (Calif.) who threw 58 touchdown passes and ran for 10 more during his final high school season, and the 5-foot-11, 175-pounder is expected to immediately push for playing time in a quarterback race featuring Mac Jones, Tua’s back-up last season, and Taulia Tagovailoa, Tua’s younger brother.

ON THE WEB: Alabama’s 2020 signing class

The lone knock of Young seems to be his relative lack of size at 5-foot-11 and 175 pounds. He recently sat down with SI All-American recruiting analyst John Garcia and talked about his size, his favorite quarterback and other topics before joining Alabama as a mid-year enrollee.

“For me, you learn to deal to the challenges of being a few inches shorter than the prototype,” Young said, “as far as being able to see through the line, making sure you can create angles with the ball, being able to let that go and make sure you’re going to get through your progressions. It’s a lot of mental. It’s not like I’m going to go to the next level and just get short.

“I’ve kind of been dealing with it – I wouldn’t say challenges – but the kind of change you have to go through to be a few inches shorter than the prototype,” he added. “It’s about really what I can do outside with my legs, with my feet, with throwing the ball and with my mind that I feel like kind of negate any height or anything.”

Young referenced the success of 6-foot-1 Baker Mayfield and 5-foot-10 Kyler Murray, both whom won the Heisman Trophy at Oklahoma before becoming No. 1 NFL draft picks, and said they “helped my case.” Tua, of course, stands 6-foot-1 and threw for 7,442 yards with 87 touchdowns and 11 interceptions at Alabama.

As a senior at Mater Dei (Calif.), Young completed 294-of-409 passes for 4,528 yards – a 348.3-yard per-game average – and 58 touchdowns. He added another 357 rushing yards and 10 more touchdowns. He’s generally considered the nation’s No. 1 quarterback in the Class of 2020.

Young was named the 2019 High School Quarterback of the Year by the National Quarterback Club, and he was also named the All-American Bowl Player of the Year before winning the MVP award at Saturday’s high school all-star game in San Antonio, Texas.

When asked who he patterns his game after, Young made a surprising pick.

“For me, someone I pattern my game after, my favorite quarterback in the league is Aaron Rodgers,” Young said. “The way that he can manipulate himself as far as throwing angle, making sure how he moves in the pocket, being able to extend plays, but making sure he all that with his eyes downfield as a passer is something I definitely strive to be.”