Where ESPN ranks Alabama's quarterback situation entering the 2025 season shouldn't be a surprise

ESPN recently ranked all 136 FBS quarterback situations into tiers and where they placed the Alabama Crimson Tide's quarterback situation shouldn't come as much of a surprise to fans.

The quarterback situation rankings from ESPN include over 20 different tiers, ranging from "top of the class" to "nowhere but up".

ESPN placed Alabama's situation in tier five (the "waiting is the hardest part" tier). This comes on the heels of head coach Kalen DeBoer giving a rough timeframe for when he'll announce a starting quarterback.

Other programs in this tier include Georgia, Ole Miss, and Oregon.

Alabama landed in this tier because Ty Simpson and Austin Mack combined for only 28 pass attempts in 2024, and Keelon Russell is a true freshman. The Tide opted against bringing in a veteran in the transfer portal, leaving them quite shorthanded in terms of experience.

Here's what ESPN had to say about the tier.

After three years as a backup, Stockton drove his 1984 F-150 onto center stage in last season's Sugar Bowl, and while he ended up on the losing end, he played well enough for Georgia to feel comfortable handing him the offense in 2025. Simpson, a top-five QB recruit in 2022, also has patiently waited his turn at Alabama. Moore earned starting experience at UCLA as a freshman, then left for Oregon and waited behind Dillon Gabriel. Simmons watched Jaxson Dart for two years at Ole Miss. These guys know the system, know the locker room, and they are ready for their moment in the spotlight.

Of the past 10 quarterbacks to start Week 1 for Alabama, eight took over the job having fewer than 100 career attempts under their belts. The three QBs competing for the job this season have a combined 53 college pass attempts.

Alabama quarterbacks accounted for 17 turnovers last season, the most for the Tide since at least 2004 and more than double their 2023 total.

This is certainly a fair ranking for the Crimson Tide's quarterback situation. All three scholarship quarterbacks on Alabama's roster have talent. But Simpson and Mack are barely more experienced on the field than true freshman Russell.

Is it possible that at least one of Alabama's three quarterbacks could emerge as a star in the SEC?

Absolutely, and the expectation is for Russell to be excellent in time.

But we have no idea whether that will be the case until we see each of them under the bright lights.