In early 2021, former Alabama quarterbacks were making waves in the NFL. Mac Jones, Tua Tagovailoa, and Jalen Hurts, who had once shared a quarterback room in Tuscaloosa, were all starting in the league. Bryce Young, a future No. 1 pick, was also expected to join their ranks.
Nick Saban, Alabama’s legendary coach, had modernized his previously conservative, run-focused offense to spotlight the quarterback position, and suddenly, the Crimson Tide was producing top-tier professional passers like every other position.
However, by Week 3 of the season, barring any injury or unexpected development, no quarterbacks who finished their college careers at Alabama would be starting in the NFL.
Jalen Hurts, who transferred and completed his college career at Oklahoma, is the only former Tide QB expected to start. Alabama doesn’t even list him among Saban’s 123 NFL picks. Meanwhile, Young, Tagovailoa, and Jones, all once seen as potential franchise saviors, would find themselves on the bench.
While many Alabama quarterbacks have enjoyed standout college careers, they’ve struggled in the NFL. Is this just a series of individual misfortunes, or were these QBs’ draft stocks inflated by the elite receivers and five-star linemen they played with at Alabama?
This pattern isn’t entirely unfamiliar. Oregon quarterbacks Joey Harrington, Akili Smith, and Kellen Clemons—who played under Mike Bellotti—were also high draft picks who underperformed in the NFL. Whether fair or not, Ducks quarterbacks earned a reputation for struggling, and Alabama QBs seem to be following a similar trajectory.
Tagovailoa, in particular, has faced unfortunate circumstances. He would be Miami’s starter if healthy, but concussions have derailed his career, and there have always been lingering doubts about whether he’s capable of leading a team to a Super Bowl or even a conference title. His inconsistent play has only added to the questions.
Before his hip injury at Alabama, many fans were eager for their teams to “Tank for Tua,” believing he could be the next Peyton Manning or Andrew Luck. Though he’s shown flashes of potential, even when healthy, his ceiling appears limited.
Mac Jones, who was viewed as having a high floor coming out of Alabama, initially looked like a strong fit for Bill Belichick and the Patriots. But after a promising rookie season, he regressed. The Patriots’ decision to pair him with inexperienced coaches Joe Judge and Matt Patricia in 2022 certainly didn’t help, and Jones not only struggled but grew visibly frustrated. Even under the guidance of respected offensive mind Bill O’Brien, Jones didn’t improve and was traded for minimal value, now serving as a backup in Jacksonville.
Bryce Young has been the biggest letdown so far. The consensus No. 1 pick in the 2023 draft has looked outmatched since joining the Panthers. Undersized, indecisive, and inaccurate, Young’s struggles are even more glaring when compared to C.J. Stroud, the No. 2 pick, who’s thrived. After consecutive blowout losses, Young was benched. Although Carolina’s issues go beyond just him, his performance has done little to inspire confidence, with the team averaging just 12 points in his two wins as a starter.
Of the recent Alabama QBs, Hurts has been the most successful. After transferring to Oklahoma, he’s become the only Saban-era QB with an NFL playoff win. This reflects well on Saban, who didn’t need elite pro passers to maintain Alabama’s dominance.
Even Hurts, however, has shown inconsistency. While brilliant at times, he threw the third-most interceptions in the NFL last season and struggled toward the end of the year.
With Saban now retired, the future of Alabama quarterbacks may be more closely linked to Michael Penix, who played under Kalen DeBoer, Alabama’s new head coach. But it will be interesting to see how NFL teams view Jalen Milroe, who spent most of his career playing for Saban. Bigger and more athletic than Hurts, Young, and Jones, Milroe isn’t currently projected as a first-round pick but may represent Saban’s last shot at producing a top NFL quarterback.
