Super Sayin — America’s top pro-style quarterback commits to the Tide

For the better part of a decade, the consistent talking point from the national media was “if only Saban could ever get that elite quarterback.”

As we’ve noted many times here, be careful what you ask for, real or implied. In the last eight years, Alabama has now produced two Freshmen All-Americans, two SEC Offensive Players of the Year, two consensus All-Americans, three Heisman finalists — and a Heisman winner.

Mission accomplished.

And the Tide aren’t done adding to that pedigree yet, either, as Nick Saban secured the services of the nation’s top pro-style passing quarterback (and no No. 4 overall recruit), 5-star Julian Sayin:

“Alabama is the standard for college football,” said Sayin on ESPN2. “I want to be coached by coach Nick Saban and [offensive coordinator] Bill O’Brien.”

A product of Carslbad, Sayin is a game-changing recruit for Alabama’s class as the No. 3 quarterback and No. 12 overall recruit in the Top247. Though the Top247 rankings have not released five-star prospects, Sayin is five-star caliber and the No. 2 quarterback in the 2024 247Sports Composite Rankings.

The 6-foot-1, 185-pound junior is a burgeoning superstar with 21 touchdowns and three interceptions in 10 games. His success has quickly attracted offers from nearly all of the best programs in the nation.

Sayin’s addition pushes Alabama up to the No. 5 recruiting class in the nation with four commits. He joins No. 5 overall recruit Jaylen Mbakwe, No. 28 athlete Martavious Collins and No. 81 receiver Perry Thompson in what is shaping up to be another elite recruiting class.

If you want a comp for Sayin’s game, as well as his overall size and ceiling? It’s Tua Tagovailoa — Sayin is not lacking in confidence, accuracy, and may have an even bigger arm. He’s not reckless, but he’s not afraid either. He can put the ball in seriously tight spots, and has one of the best play fakes you’ll see at the high school level:

Sayin noted that he had a great visit to Alabama, and he loves how Alabama develops quarterbacks and Nick Saban runs the program.

“I know he’s tough but I like that,” he told 247Sports. “I want to be coached hard and go somewhere that I know I’ll get better and Bama has a proved track record of that.”

Sayin enters a stacked QB room that includes Ty Simpson and Eli Holstein among others.

Roll Tide, Julian!

*Neither the editors nor author of this piece apologize for the Dragonball Z pun.