The hits keep on coming for Kalen DeBoer and the Alabama Crimson Tide.
Julian Sayin, the prized prospect of Alabama’s 2024 recruiting class and an early enrollee who has been practicing with the team since Rose Bowl prep, is planning to enter the transfer portal per a report from ESPN’s Pete Thamel.
The news comes on the heels of new head coach Kalen DeBoer bringing in his first transfer at Alabama, who just so happens be a quarterback as well.
Austin Mack, who was under DeBoer for his freshman year at Washington this past season, was brought in from the portal on Thursday afternoon.
The timing of Sayin’s departure is interesting with the Mack news. It’s more likely than not that Mack was brought in because DeBoer and his staff knew already that Sayin would likely leave, but Mack’s arrival could have made Sayin’s decision easier as well.
The loss of Sayin cannot be understated. He was a unanimous five-star recruit and the a top-five player overall in the nation in the class of 2024. While he likely would not have seen the field this season, he was undoubtedly seen as the quarterback of the future for the Crimson Tide.
Mack, a fellow California native, was a four-star prospect in the class of 2023 and ranked by 247 as a top-ten quarterback.
It will be interesting to see how the Alabama quarterback room takes shape from here with just Jalen Milroe, Ty Simpson, and Dylan Lonergan remaining to be joined by Mack after departures of Eli Holstein and Tyler Buchner.
