Predicting Alabama Football quarterback depth chart

Alabama football has one of the most interesting quarterback battles heading into the 2023 season and here’s our prediction for the depth chart. 

Over the past two seasons, Alabama football hasn’t had any questions about the quarterback position thanks to the spectacular Bryce Young.

Young won the Heisman Trophy for the Crimson Tide during the 2021 season and nearly had Alabama football back in the College Football Playoff a year ago.

If the games against LSU or Tennessee go differently, Alabama would have made the playoff and Young would have been invited to New York for the Heisman ceremony.

If Alabama’s kicker makes the late field goal and beats Tennessee on the road. That one play would have changed the narrative. But that’s college football and now Young is in the NFL.

Alabama football is still trying to figure out the starting quarterback and it was a topic of conversation this week at SEC Media Days. Saban didn’t offer any clues but we break down the race and project the Week 1 starter for the Crimson Tide.

Making the case for each potential Alabama football starter

Jalen Milroe, Ty Simpson, and Tyler Buchner all have reasons to feel good about where they stand. Milroe has the most experience with the Crimson Tide.

Milroe turned the ball over too much last season, but he also proved to be dynamic with his legs and was stellar against Texas A&M.

However, if the Tide felt good about their quarterback room, why would they have gone after Tyler Buchner, the former Notre Dame starter?

Like Milroe, Buchner is a dual threat. He showed off his running skills last season for Notre Dame and did throw three touchdown passes against South Carolina in the bowl game. He turned the ball over a little too much too, but with more seasoning, hopefully, that will go away.

All three players are inexperienced. Yet, Simpson is the only former five-star among the bunch. He was rated as one of the top players in the 2022 class for a reason and Alabama football was supposed to turn things over to him after Young.

If all things were equal, Alabama would probably prefer Simpson take over the job. If it’s Buchner, the others could look to transfer.

Milroe, in my opinion, has the worst chance of being the starter. I think he’ll eventually end up in the transfer portal. Buchner wasn’t going to start at Notre Dame anyway, so it’s not like he’ll be expecting to start this season.

Buchner could be the starter and my prediction is that the job isn’t locked down in Week 1. It will be like Michigan a year ago when the QB competition drags on for a few weeks.

Ty Simpson will start the first game. Simpson taking the job and never giving it back is the best-case scenario and if things are basically even in fall camp, I see Simpson getting the nod. I see Buchner as the backup in case Simpson flops as the starter.

However, I think all three will play early in the regular season and Saban won’t be afraid to roll with the hot hand. All three were highly-touted recruits, so Alabama football should be fine one way or another, but by the Texas game, you’d like to have your guy.

We’ll see if that happens. My money is on Simpson..for now.