By Loveth 
ESPN’s Chris Low, who you might remember as the guy who first reported Nick Saban’s retirement, thinks the Alabama quarterback competition isn’t as clear-cut as some are saying. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), he gave his thoughts after spending some time around the team in Tuscaloosa.
According to Low, Ty Simpson is currently in the best spot to land the starting QB job—but he hasn’t locked it up yet. Freshman Keelon Russell is the most naturally talented of the group, but he’s still new. And then there’s Austin Mack, who Low says has “real support among players.”
That’s a bit of a surprise, considering the buzz after last week’s scrimmage was that Mack struggled and may have even dropped to third on the depth chart.
So far, everything we’ve heard—including from former Bama QB and ESPN analyst Greg McElroy—lines up with Simpson leading the pack. He’s been getting the first reps in practice drills when the media is around, and that usually means something. Still, it looks like the competition is far from over.
And here’s the thing—Bama needs Austin Mack to stick around. Even if he’s not leading right now, it’s important he still believes he’s got a shot. The spring transfer portal window is opening soon, and if Mack feels like he’s out of the race, he could easily look to go elsewhere. That would leave Alabama with just two scholarship QBs on the roster, which is not a great situation heading into the summer.
Bottom line: Don’t expect Kalen DeBoer to name a starting quarterback anytime soon. This thing could drag on until the season opener against Florida State on August 30.