Alabama freshman QB Julian Sayin has joined the transfer portal after recently enrolling at the college prematurely, as reported by 247Sports. Sayin was labeled a five-star prospect in the Class of 2024 and ranked as the No. 3 quarterback in the class, according to 247Sports.
The native of Carlsbad, California, initially pledged to the Crimson Tide in November 2022 while Nick Saban was the head coach at Alabama and Bill O’Brien was the offensive coordinator. He is just the most recent prominent player to seek opportunities elsewhere since Saban’s retirement earlier this month.
Although Saban’s successor, Kalen DeBoer, is recognized as a quarterback expert and led one of the top passing offenses in the country during his two-year tenure as Washington’s head coach, there is a surplus of quarterbacks at Alabama that Sayin would need to surpass.
Jalen Milroe is anticipated to resume the role of starting quarterback for the Crimson Tide in 2024, and former highly-touted prospects Ty Simpson and Dylan Lonergan also continue to be part of the roster. Austin Mack is also joining DeBoer from Washington to Alabama after being regarded as a four-star prospect in the Class of 2023 and redshirting for the Huskies last season.
Is Ohio State a Preferred Destination?
When Sayin initially committed, he selected Alabama over both Georgia and LSU. During his announcement, he expressed his desire to be mentored by Saban and O’Brien. However, with Saban no longer coaching, O’Brien is now the offensive coordinator at Ohio State, making the Buckeyes a potential landing spot for Sayin.
Actually, there seems to be strong momentum for the Buckeyes to secure the services of the former five-star recruit.
 “I would be surprised if he doesn’t choose Ohio State,” stated a source to 247Sports’ Chris Hummer on Friday.
Sayin participated in the Under Armour All-American game and was regarded as the premier quarterback in his class by the 247Sports Composite. He earned Gatorade California Player of the Year accolades after throwing for 24 touchdowns and merely one interception during his senior year.
