Bama football commit Julian Sayin lands No. 1 QB spot in recruiting rankings update
By WVUA Digital Reporter Sam Thornton
TUSCALOOSA-University of Alabama football commit Julian Sayin has been ranked the No. 1 quarterback and No. 7 overall player in On3 Sports’ updated recruiting board for the 2024 class. The refurbished list, released Monday, also established Sayin as just one of two quarterbacks ranked as a five star prospect the 2024 class.
Sayin, a Carlsbad, Calif. native, has elevated his exposure this summer with impressive accolades. Most recently, Sayin was named the 2023 Elite 11 MVP. The prestigious camp held in Los Angeles last month brought the best players in the country together to compete and display their skills. Sayin’s play was impressive enough to earn him MVP honors voted by instructors of the camp.
The show put on by Sayin this summer has caught the attention of many seasoned scouts. “He’s a pure thrower and might be the most ready to step in and play early of all the signal callers in the ’24 class,” 247Sports national recruiting analyst Greg Biggins said.
Sayin was the first Alabama prospect to win the Elite 11 MVP award since Tua Tagovailoa in 2016.
In addition to Sayin’s impressive maturity, his competitive nature has cardinally emerged into the spotlight. In fact, his decision to play under Alabama head coach Nick Saban was fueled by competition in the Tide quarterback room.
“I was never going to pick a place because of how the quarterback room lined up. I just wanted to go to the place that best fit for me, and I’m not worried. I mean, I like competition,” Sayin told BamaCentral.
His combination of talent and edged spirit will impact Alabama football in the future. In 12 games as a junior, Sayin completed 66.5% of his passes while throwing over 2,700 yards with 27 touchdowns.
Sayin shares common traits to former Alabama quarterback Bryce Young, who also reigned from the state of California in high school. Specifically, his deep ball throws compare him the most to the former Heisman trophy winner.
According to On3’s scouting report, Sayin “Throws a tight, compact release. Beautiful deep ball thrower who consistently hits his receivers in stride. Very comfortable passer on the run, loses little to no velocity when throwing off-platform.”
With Alabama lacking a solidified starter at the quarterback position this upcoming fall, it will be promising for Alabama fans and the Crimson Tide coaching staff to have Sayin in the back of their minds as a Freshman next season.
Though Sayin will likely develop within the quarterback room his first year on campus, he has an ultimate potential to be the next Alabama great and the first quarterback taken in his NFL draft class. The updated ranking is a testament to that ceiling.
