Alabama’s 2026 schedule is loaded with quarterbacks who can wreck a game in different ways, and that’s exactly what makes the slate so tricky. Some are proven stars, some are transfers trying to make an immediate splash, and a few are young passers who could be on the verge of becoming a problem. For Kalen DeBoer and the Crimson Tide, the lesson is simple: none of them can be brushed aside.
The easiest names to dismiss are the ones Alabama should see in the opener and in its annual November FCS matchup. East Carolina is expected to go with Miami transfer Emory Williams, a former highly regarded high school recruit, when the Pirates visit to open the season.
Chattanooga’s quarterback situation is still unsettled, with Battle Amberson and New Mexico State transfer Parker Awad competing for the job. Amberson started three games for the Mocs in 2025, but neither option projects as much of a threat given the talent gap.
A different kind of challenge comes from the freshman class. Jared Curtis, the one-time Georgia commitment, is the biggest recruit in Vanderbilt history.
He finished the 2026 cycle as the No. 4 overall player and the No. 2 quarterback in the composite rankings, and by the time Alabama sees him he’ll already have two months of college football behind him. In Knoxville, 5-star Faizon Brandon is battling for Tennessee’s starting job, though the momentum appears to be moving his way.
His rocket arm fits Josh Heupel’s system, and by the time the Third Saturday in October arrives, he should be settled in.
Then there’s the group that could swing from intriguing to dangerous in a hurry. Mississippi State’s Taylor may end up being ranked much higher than this by season’s end.
He was a late-season revelation for Jeff Lebby and exploded for 173 rushing yards in the Egg Bowl against Ole Miss. With a full offseason to build on that finish, he could become one of the SEC’s most dynamic quarterbacks and make Alabama’s trip to Starkville a stressful one.
The transfer market adds even more uncertainty. Alabama won’t have much tape on Notre Dame transfer Kenny Minchey or on Kentucky’s offense under new head coach Will Stein when the Tide heads to Lexington in Week 2. Minchey was one of the most coveted players in the portal, and that matchup could become an early proving ground for both him and Stein.
Week 3 brings a familiar face. Florida State is expected to turn to Auburn transfer Ashton Daniels, giving Alabama another look at a quarterback it already knows can be a handful.
Daniels put up 367 total yards against the Tide in Jordan-Hare last season, and Alabama barely escaped with an Iron Bowl win. That game in Tallahassee is already circled for plenty of Alabama fans, who want payback for last year’s loss there.
South Florida transfer Byrum Brown is another quarterback who brings real trouble with him. His throwing motion may get attention, but the production was no joke: 3,100 passing yards and more than 1,000 rushing yards last season. He’s also operating in Alex Golesh’s system, which he knows well, and that makes him a dangerous Iron Bowl opponent even with the jump in competition.
Lane Kiffin’s track record at quarterback gives Sam Leavitt a boost here. The former Arizona State passer isn’t viewed by everyone as one of the sport’s elite quarterbacks, but Kiffin clearly sees something in him and should get him up to speed quickly.
At the top of the danger list are the quarterbacks who can beat Alabama with both their arm and their legs. Texas A&M’s Marcel Reed remains one of the hardest players in the country to prepare for because of his dual-threat ability, and he’ll have more starting experience and a loaded supporting cast around him.
Georgia’s Gunner Stockton belongs in that same conversation. He doesn’t always get the attention that comes with the job, but he keeps winning, and the Bulldogs are coming off an SEC title and a dominant win over Alabama in Atlanta last December.
Stockton finished sixth in the country in QBR and heads into his senior season in Athens with plenty of momentum.
South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers rounds out the list as one of the most intimidating quarterbacks Alabama will face. Last season didn’t go the way he wanted, but his arm strength and running ability still make him a nightmare for defensive coordinators. Alabama has escaped upset bids from Sellers and the Gamecocks in each of the past two seasons, and he’ll have extra motivation when South Carolina comes to Tuscaloosa in September.
In Other News...
Alabama Faces Familiar Pressure At Left Tackle Again
Alabamas offensive line is headed into 2026 with a familiar kind of uncertainty, and the spotlight is landing once again on left tackle. The group will have only one returning starter, and sophomore Jackson Lloyd is the projected answer on the edge after Kadyn Proctor moved on as a first-round pick. For a program that has spent years churning out elite tackles, the position is less about filling a vacancy than maintaining a standard.
Ryan Grubb has already shown confidence in Lloyd during spring camp, and Alabamas recent history offers a useful backdrop for what comes next. Cam Robinson, Jonah Williams, Alex Leatherwood and Evan Neal all arrived with major expectations as five-star tackles, then grew into NFL draft picks after their time in Tuscaloosa. The question now is whether Lloyd can follow that same path quickly enough to steady an offensive line that will need new answers almost everywhere else. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama Just Sent A Strong Message Ahead Of SEC Media Days
Kalen DeBoer is set to take the stage at SEC Media Days next summer in Tampa, where Alabama will begin offering a clearer picture of what the Crimson Tide look like heading into a new season. He will be joined by wide receiver Ryan Coleman-Williams, safety Bray Hubbard and cornerback Zabien Brown, a group that says plenty about where the program sees its leadership coming from on both sides of the ball.
The trio also gives Alabama a chance to spotlight players who could help define the next step under DeBoer, from Coleman-Williams trying to build on a promising start to his career to Hubbard and Brown bringing experience and production to the secondary. There will be no shortage of attention on the quarterback situation as well, which only adds to the intrigue around which voices Alabama is choosing to put front and center in Tampa. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama May Be Closing In On A Rival Recruiting Reversal
Alabamas wide receiver board in the 2027 cycle has started to take shape, and Cedrick Simmons is right in the middle of it. The in-state pass catcher has been on both sides of the Iron Bowl recruiting line, drawing real attention from Alabama and Auburn after a strong high school season that put his name on plenty of radars.
The timing makes the situation even more interesting for Alabama, which has already been working to build out its receiver class and keep momentum with other targets in the mix. Simmons path has already included visits to both schools, and with the Tide still pushing for more help at the position, this one has the feel of a recruitment that could shift again before it settles. [Read more 🡒]