Before the 2023 college football season, there was great uncertainty regarding the quarterback position for the Alabama Crimson Tide. A three-man battle between Jalen Milroe, Ty Simpson and Tyler Buchner ensued, but it was Milroe who won the job. Ahead of the 2024 season, fans are excited to see what the incumbent starter will perform.
One of the things that makes college football special is the constant rotation of players. Whether they lose eligibility, declare for the NFL draft or transfer, there will always be players coming and going from each program. The quarterback position is no exception to this.
Milroe finished the 2023 season with enough Heisman Trophy votes to finish No. 6 in the final tally. In 2024, he’ll look to win it all and then some. Not only is Milroe a candidate for the coveted trophy, but he’s also viewed by experts as a possible early first-round pick in the 2025 NFL draft.
Recently, Pro Football Focus (PFF) put together a ranking of the 10 best quarterback rooms in all of college football for the upcoming season. Milroe and his fellow quarterbacks on the roster have the Crimson Tide ranked No. 5 in the nation.
“Alabama might be losing the greatest coach of all time in Nick Saban, but the team still returns a top-five quarterback in college football. Jalen Milroe is a big play waiting to happen with his elite tools. The redshirt sophomore ranked second in the nation with a 9.2% big-time throw rate in 2023, and his 35 runs of 10-plus yards were the fourth most among FBS quarterbacks. Milroe’s 96.9 passing grade on deep throws trailed only Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels, as well.”
While the focus may be primarily on Milroe as the starter, Pro Football Focus also gives credit to the depth first-year head coach Kalen DeBoer will have in Tuscaloosa.
“Ty Simpson will once again serve as his backup, impressing in that role with an 83.5 grade on 93 snaps last year. He was also a five-star recruit and the second-ranked quarterback in the 2022 class. The Crimson Tide also have a pair of quarterbacks from the 2023 class who were top-20 recruits at the position in Dylan Lonergan and Washington transfer Austin Mack.”
The only teams ahead of Alabama in the rankings are the No. 4 Ohio State Buckeyes, No. 3 Texas Longhorns, No. 2 Oregon Ducks and No. 1 Georgia Bulldogs.
Alabama will be under a microscope throughout the 2024 season, as fans and analysts are curious to see how the team performs in its first season without legendary head coach Nick Saban in nearly two decades. The performance of the team will rely heavily on Milroe to orchestrate a DeBoer-led offense.
Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow Alabama football news as the 2024 offseason progresses.
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