Alabama secured a commitment from an elite blue-chip quarterback on Tuesday.
It’s Eli, not Arch.
Eli Holstein, a four-star quarterback from Zachary, La., announced his commitment on Twitter. According to 247Sports.com, the four-star quarterback is ranked No. 8 at the position and No. 82 overall in the class of 2023.
As my Pawpaw used to say, ROLL DAMN TIDE!!! 🐘🐘🐘@_ZHSFootball @CoachBrew1 @CoachGolding @samspiegs @SWiltfong247 @JUSTCHILLY pic.twitter.com/X7HJjCGfdO
— Eli Holstein (@eli_holstein10) May 24, 2022
Of course, that commitment is tied to five-star quarterback Arch Manning, the No. 1 recruit in the class of 2023. Manning, the nephew of NFL stars Eli and Peyton Manning, has Alabama listed among his favorites.
Sporting News looks at how Holstein’s commitment impacts the Crimson Tide quarterback room and whether Manning still fits into the plan:
Who is Eli Holstein?
Holstein is a 6-4, 222-pound quarterback with invitations to Elite 11 and the All-American Bowl. He passed for 3,228 yards, 30 TDs and six interceptions and rushed for 523 yards and 14 TDs.
Holstein’s commitment was expected. "Bama obviously loves Eli Holstein," 247Sports recruiting analyst Greg Biggins said on a podcast May 5. "They're not going to basically wait around for Arch. Still, if Arch chooses Alabama, that would alter that plan."
It’s a significant commitment considering it comes on the heels of Alabama coach’s Nick Saban’s back-and-forth with Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher that centered on recruiting in the Name, Image and Likeness era. Holstein is the fourth commitment in the Crimson Tide’s 2023 class.
Alabama’s QB room in 2023
Bryce Young is the returning starter for Alabama in 2022. Young won the Heisman Trophy last season as a first-year starter with 4,872 yards, 47 TDs and seven interceptions. Young also is projected to be a first-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Redshirt freshman Jalen Milroe is the projected backup quarterback this season. He saw mop-up action last season.
Ty Simpson, a five-star quarterback from the class of 2022, also is on the roster. Simpson (Westiview, Tenn.) was ranked No. 3 behind Clemson’s Cade Klubnik and Texas A&M’s Conner Weigman.
That means if Young does go to the NFL, Milroe, Simpson and Holstein would be the quarterback battle heading into 2023.
Could Bama pursue Arch Manning?
Alabama could take two quarterbacks in its 2023 class, so Manning isn’t off the table. The Crimson Tide did take Tua Tagovailoa and Mac Jones in the 2017 recruiting class, and both went on to become first-round picks in the NFL Draft. That said, Tagovailoa was the top quarterback in that recruiting class and Jones was a three-star quarterback. Can the Crimson Tide realistically recruit two top-10 quarterbacks in one class?
Alabama QB recruits since 2014
A look at Alabama's quarterback recruits since 2014 and their raking via 247Sports.com:
| YEAR | QUARTERBACK | STARS | RATING |
| 2014 | David Cornwell | 4 | 0.9634 |
| 2015 | Blake Barnett | 5 | 0.9898 |
| 2016 | Jalen Hurts | 4 | 0.9231 |
| 2017 | Tua Tagovailoa | 4 | 0.9831 |
| 2017 | Mac Jones | 3 | 0.8815 |
| 2018 | Layne Hatcher | 3 | 0.8043 |
| 2019 | Paul Tyson | 4 | 0.8972 |
| 2020 | Bryce Young | 5 | 0.9994 |
| 2021 | Jalen Milroe | 4 | 0.9631 |
| 2022 | Ty Simpson | 5 | 0.9883 |
| 2023 | Eli Holstein | 4 | 0.9760 |
In the transfer portal era, it’s possible when you consider those quarterbacks listed above. Cornwell transferred to Nevada. Barnett started at Alabama but transferred to Arizona State then South Florida. Hurts started in two College Football Playoff championship games before transferring to Oklahoma. Hatcher is at Arkansas State, and Paul Tyson is at Arizona State.
Still, Holstein’s commitment is good news for Georgia and Texas, the other perceived frontrunners for Manning in 2023. Manning’s recruitment. The Bulldogs do not have a QB commit in their class, and Manning has visited Texas five times throughout the process. Those two schools figure to have a better shot at the quarterback now, and Holstein’s commitment could be a sign it’s headed in that direction.
More on Holstein
Rivals national recruiting director Adam Gorney broke down Holstein’s commitment, via Bama Insider:
"(Holstein is a winner, he comes from a football family and something tells me Holstein wants to prove he's been a little overlooked in this class as the discussion centers around Manning and the other current five-stars,” Gorney said. “If a quarterback who was once committed to Texas A&M and now at Alabama can not be the center of conversation it would be this recruiting cycle, but Holstein's commitment is great for the Crimson Tide and could end up being an even better move three or four years down the line."
