Alabama has its starting quarterback job all but locked up. Even though Bryce Young hasn’t been given the official nod, all signs are pointing in his direction to lead the Crimson Tide offense in 2021.
Still, more depth is always needed at the position — if you can get it.
Paul Tyson has been up and down, but he’s still a talented kid with some upside. Jalen Milroe has the makings of a future starter in Tuscaloosa, but he’s still young and inexperienced.
Those are the only other two scholarship quarterbacks on the roster besides Young. With walk-on Braxton Barker earning some offseason praise, it’s possible that the coaching staff would be comfortable with him in the No. 4 role, but that’s not a guarantee.
That’s where former LSU signal-caller T.J. Finley could come into play. The 6-foot-6, 242-pounder has been in the transfer portal since earlier this month, and there are rumblings that Alabama is in the mix for his services.
Several outlets, including 247Sports and others, have been sharing the latest on Finley’s recruitment. He feels Alabama “would be dangerous if I was to join them.”
The possibility LSU transfer quarterback TJ Finley comes to Alabama has started to gain momentum over the last couple days.
The former LSU QB doesn’t seem turned away by Bama’s stacked QB room, saying “it would be dangerous if I was to join them.”
What do you think?#RollTide pic.twitter.com/sHw7vg6JDt
— Sidelines – Bama (2020 National Champions!) (@SSN_Alabama) May 18, 2021
Some of the other schools reportedly in the mix are Auburn, Texas and Penn State. But is Alabama a realistic choice for the young gun? Maybe, maybe not.
The Tide have bodies — and talent — in the quarterback room. If Finley is looking to move on from LSU due to competition, then Tuscaloosa might not be the place for him.
Still, there’s no denying that he would bolster the depth even more at that spot. And it wouldn’t be a complete shock — if he chose to transfer to Alabama — to see him earn the backup job behind Young.
Finley’s first season in Baton Rouge was littered with inconsistency, but that game against South Carolina last season is enough to show the promise he brings to the table.
In that game, he completed 17 of his 21 pass attempts (81 percent) for 265 yards, two touchdowns and only one interceptions. He was almost perfect en route to the Tigers handing the Gamecocks a lopsided 52-24 loss.
Things were a different story against Auburn the following week though. But the hope is that more experience would help him overcome some of those consistency issues.
Stay tuned for more updates on Finley’s status.
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