Parker Brailsford believes all three Alabama quarterbacks could win starting battle

For the first time in two seasons, Alabama will be starting a quarterback NOT named Jalen Milroe in 2025. Their starter will either be redshirt-junior Ty Simpson, redshirt-sophomore Austin Mack or freshman Keelon Russell, with Simpson reportedly in the lead for the job.

Russell and Mack are likely fighting for the backup role instead of the starter role, but both arms are supremely talented in their own right. Russell was also a five-star recruit (ranked No. 2 overall in the Class of 2025), while Mack was a four-star recruit (ranked No. 219 in Class of 2023) and transferred to Alabama with Kalen DeBoer from Washington.

Simpson has attempted 50 passes over the span of his three seasons for just 381 yards and no touchdowns. He was a five-star recruit (ranked No. 25 overall in his class) coming out of Westview (Martin, TN) in 2022 and is the likely front-runner for the starting spot.

Alabama center Parker Brailsford, however, believes that any of the three arms could win the quarterback battle. Brailsford was named Second Team All-Pac 12 in 2023 at Washington before he transferred to Alabama with Mack and DeBoer.

“You know, all three of those guys are really smart,” Brailsford said at Alabama Media Day. “Obviously you’ve got younger guys that still figuring it out but they all have a chance to win that battle. Sometimes I have Austin [Mack] in there, sometimes I have Keelon [Russell] in there and sometimes I have Ty [Simpson]. I feel like there’s really no drop-off. They all do different things well but I feel like there’s no drop-off depending on who’s in there.”

Alabama OC Ryan Grubb is high on all three arms as well

Alabama offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb, who departed from the Seattle Seahawks this offseason and was subsequently hired by DeBoer, touched on the Crimson Tide quarterbacks on Thursday. Grubb was previously DeBoer’s offensive coordinator at Fresno State from 2020-21 and Washington from 2022-23.

“All of these guys are in different levels of their progression as quarterbacks in college,” Grubb said. “I think that all of them, just like any position, have a lot of different strengths. I think that right now Ty [Simpson] is continuing to show a ton of command. He did a better job today than the other two guys with that so he continues to progress as a leader.

“Keelon [Russell]‘s ability to see the field and just his vision and innate ability to make a play, even potentially when there’s not one there, is at a really, really high level. And Austin [Mack] is an elite arm talent. He’s a guy that’s strong and can power through things.”

Alabama and its new quarterback open the 2025 season at Florida State on Aug. 30. Kick-off is scheduled for 3:30 PM on ABC.