Alabama entered this fall unsure of who would start at quarterback for the Crimson Tide.
Ty Simpson won the job, and then he blossomed into a star, so things worked out OK.
Simpson may leave for the NFL Draft, where he'd surely be a first-round pick, but he hasn't officially made that call yet.
If he leaves, Alabama shouldn't have to look far for its replacement.
The Crimson Tide had brought in freshman Keelon Russell this fall after he was one of the best recruits in the country.
If Simpson leaves, Russell is the clear next man up. Alabama shouldn't have to dip into the QB transfer market at all.
The Athletic's Manny Navarro predicted in a new article that Russell will indeed win the starting job next fall in Tuscaloosa.
"Ty Simpson isn’t a lock yet to leave early for the NFL, but he’s certainly talented enough," Navarro writes. "Russell, a former five-star recruit, spent a season waiting in the wings."
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It will be an important season ahead for Alabama. The Crimson Tide made it to this season's College Football Playoff despite three losses, but they probably won't want to play with fire like that again.
Russell is the guy who can help elevate head coach Kalen DeBoer, and vice versa. If they work well together, Alabama could ascend toward the top of the college football mountaintop once again.
More CFB transfer news:
- Florida State linked to Sun Belt's best player
- Miami's next transfer QB predicted to come from out west
- Notre Dame transfer QB could be coming to the ACC
- James Franklin has chance to land former Penn State QB for Hokies
- Ivy League QB could wind up in Big Ten
- Oregon lined up with prolific QB transfer