JD PicKell reveals how Eli Holstein could impact Alabama's QB competition

In 2023, there will be a changing of the guard at Alabama. Quarterback Bryce Young is off to the NFL and, as of Tuesday morning, offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien is joining him there as the offensive coordinator of the New England Patriots.

That leaves Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide with some big question marks. However, On3’s J.D. PicKell pointed to one quarterback on the roster who can make things interesting: On3 Consensus four-star Eli Holstein.

Holstein was a key piece of Alabama’s 2023 recruiting class as the No. 8-ranked quarterback prospect from the cycle, according to the On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. At 6-foot-3 and 230 pounds, he has the physical traits to be a potential quarterback of the future in Tuscaloosa.

“The word that comes to mind when you talk about Eli Holstein — something that [On3’s] Charles Power harps on a lot in his scouting report — is developed,” PicKell said on “The Hard Count” this week. “Physically, he is very developed. A guy that is going to walk in to your program day one and be further along than most freshmen, you would imagine.”

But with O’Brien now heading to the NFL, those physical qualities are even more important because the Crimson Tide’s system is going to change. That’s why PicKell argued Holstein could make the case to start this coming season.

“If Bill O’Brien is to take an NFL job and they have a new offensive coordinator, then the playing field gets leveled substantially,” PicKell said. “I think Eli Holstein then has a much better chance to be your starter day one than he did if Bill O’Brien is the offensive coordinator.

“The reason for that being Bill O’Brien right now, his system, Jalen Milroe has had a couple years in it, Ty Simpson’s had a year in it. Eli Holstein hasn’t had any experience. He’s had a bowl practice and a winter conditioning, I suppose. If they get a new coordinator, everybody’s back to zero years of experience. And with Eli Holstein, if physical development isn’t holding him back, it sounds like a pretty wide open derby to me. That’s the feel, as well, with people that we’ve talked to that are close to the ‘Bama program.”

Milroe got some important experience under center last season after Young suffered an injury. He appeared in eight games, throwing for 297 yards and five touchdowns in that span while also rushing for 263 yards and a touchdown on the ground. Simpson threw for 35 yards in four appearances as a true freshman.