Julian Sayin, the No. 1 quarterback in the Class of 2024 in the 247Sports Composite, plans to enter the transfer portal, according to a program source. Sayin, who played at Carlsbad (Calif.) High School, enrolled in classes last week but has 30 days to enter the portal due to Nick Saban’s retirement.
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ESPN first reported the news of Sayin’s plans to enter the portal.
This move comes one day after Alabama received a commitment from transfer Austin Mack, a promising young quarterback prospect who was recruited by new Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer to be Washington’s quarterback of the future. Mack was originally in the Class of 2024 but reclassified to the 2023 class and spent the fall with the Huskies.
Sayin, who originally committed to Alabama in November 2022, ascended to the top of the national quarterback rankings in the fall.
Thadd MacNeal, his coach at Carlsbad, said last week that Sayin was close with former Alabama offensive coordinator Tommy Rees and was eager to see what would happen with the offensive staff under DeBoer.
“He wants to see who they’re gonna hire, who’s gonna be the OC,” MacNeal said. “Obviously, Alabama’s gonna get someone really, really good at that position.”
“(Sayin) was fine. It wasn’t like, ‘Oh, panic.’ It’s kind of the nature of the business a little bit. He’s already started classes, so he’s in it. It’s a matter of his class, of who they’re gonna be able to keep. The coordinator’s gonna be important because he had a good relationship with coach (Tommy) Rees.”
DeBoer did not retain Rees and has brought Ryan Grubb with him from Washington to run the Alabama offense.
QB drama
Though we spent most of the 2024 cycle referring to Nebraska’s Dylan Raiola as the top quarterback in the country, in the end, many considered Sayin to be the best of a very good crop. Saban personally plucked Sayin — the winner of last year’s Elite 11 quarterback camp — out of Southern California. Sayin was the clear future of the program, especially considering he was committed before a season that began marred with quarterback questions for the Crimson Tide.
Yes, Alabama landed Mack in the portal this week, but losing Sayin is a considerable hit to this team. Sayin was the reason it felt like Saban still had another national title in him before he retired. Now one of the best pure quarterback prospects is back on the market, and everyone is going to be chasing him. — Ari Wasserman, college football senior writer
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How does this impact Alabama?
On a macro level, Sayin’s departure marks the 10th transfer portal entry since Saban’s retirement and the second prospect from the 2024 class — joining defensive back Jameer Grimsley who entered the transfer portal on Thursday. Saban’s departure is one part of the equation. Rees will not return and others who recruited Sayin to Alabama, like previous offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien are no longer with the program either. It’s a a similar situation with Grimsley, who saw his position coach Travaris Robinson depart for Georgia. Now Sayin will look elsewhere, and he’ll have high interest. In total, Alabama has seen 38 departures since the end of the 2023 season via NFL Draft announcements and transfer portal entries.
Sayin’s departure is a considerable loss as arguably the best quarterback in this past cycle, but Alabama’s quarterback room is still in a healthy position. Mack’s commitment stabilizes the group with four players, and there are clear, defined roles for each player. Jalen Milroe is the starter with one year remaining. There is a clear and formidable No. 2 in Ty Simpson, and then there are Mack and Dylan Lonergan — two redshirt freshmen who are developmental pieces. With the top positions on the two deep presumably solidified, Lonergan and Mack will compete for the QB3 title this spring and throughout the summer and fall to set up the QB competition entering 2025 when Milroe departs from the program. — Kennington Smith III, Alabama staff writer
Here are the Alabama players who have entered the portal since Saban retired:
- DB Trey Amos
- WR Isaiah Bond (committed to Texas)
- DB Caleb Downs
- DB Jameer Grimsley
- DB Antonio Kite (committed to Auburn)
- LB Shawn Murphy (committed to Florida State)
- TE Amari Niblack (committed to Texas)
- OL Kadyn Proctor
- DB Dezz Ricks (committed to Texas A&M)
Required reading
- What’s next for Alabama recruits, signees post-Nick Saban? ‘He’s a little heartbroken’
- Former Washington QB Austin Mack commits to Alabama: What it means for Crimson Tide
- How will Nick Saban’s departure affect Alabama on the trail? Recruiting mailbag
- In Kalen DeBoer, did Alabama get the right coach — and recruiter — to replace Nick Saban?
(Photo: Ari Wasserman / The Athletic)