20 Notes on 2026 QB Recruits, Alabama Depth Chart + Commits

College Football Transactions - The Gunslinger Buzz Daily 9/22/2025

In today’s article, you’ll get the latest news on the top 2026 QB recruits with a free look at the Alabama quarterback depth chart and incoming commits. The College Football Transactions section shows a list of players joining or leaving FBS, FCS, D2, D3, NAIA and JUCO quarterback rooms.

Email GunslingerBuzz@gmail.com or DM on Twitter with news tips.

Photo courtesy of Alabama Athletics Photography

You’ll get exclusive college football QB news in your inbox every day with a free or paid subscription. This includes depth chart, injury, recruiting and transfer portal info with the day’s quarterback transactions at every level of college football. Check out everything that comes with a subscription.

2026 QB Recruits Headlines

5⭐ Ryder Lyons (CA) committed to BYU over Oregon and Michigan and will join the team in the spring of 2027, he told me. Lyons will serve a mission following the All-American Bowl and committed to the Cougars for their quarterback development.
“BYU has shown a great history of producing great QBs and overall great football. I’m excited to be there because of my faith and great culture. I’ve already felt such a huge new support from the BYU fans.”

Rutgers 3⭐ commit Xavier Stearn (PA) returned to campus last weekend, he told me. Stearn committed in May and has not heard from any other programs recently with no plans for upcoming visits.

3⭐ Jackson Taylor (CA) committed to Boise State over Virginia Tech, SMU and Liberty, he told me. Taylor appreciated the people and how they truly live out their values during his recruitment.
“There’s a reason pretty much nobody leaves that place, and they are seriously building something special. I can’t wait to be a part of it.”

---

---

---

Scroll down for more exclusive 2026 QB recruiting updates and quarterback transactions below. Here’s a free preview of what GunslingerBuzz.com subscribers have access to on the site through an in-depth look at the Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback room.

Alabama Depth Chart

FBS | FCS | D2 | D3 | NAIA | JUCO
Under player names show (from left) years of eligibility remaining heading into the 2025 season, home state and stats, in addition to 2025 games played, starts and QB snaps via Pro Football Focus. You’ll also get the latest news on each player with links to player news feeds.

SEC Availability Report - Teams are required to post availability reports three days before the game with daily updates until 90 minutes before kickoff. This is for conference games only.

*Redshirt available
❌ Not returning from 2024 roster
🚨 Injured, suspended, opted out, left the team (in-season) or entered the transfer portal (in-season)

The starter of the most recent game is listed first with QB snap counts in parentheses.

9/13 WIS (W 38-14)
Simpson (51) | Mack (4)

Ty Simpson
2 | TN | Stats | 3-3-159
Aug. 11, 2025 - Ty Simpson is the starter, head coach Kalen DeBoer said.

Austin Mack
3 | CA | Stats | 2-0-30
Sept. 13, 2025 - Austin Mack entered ahead of Keelon Russell twice this season after competing for the backup spot once Ty Simpson was named the starter.

Keelon Russell
4* | TX | Stats | 1-0-13
Jan. 23, 2025 - Keelon Russell will enroll early, his dad told me. He committed on June 4, 2024 after originally committing to SMU (FBS) and Houston (FBS).

Cade Carruth
2 | AL | Stats | 0-0-0

John Cooper
4 | AL | Stats | 0-0-0

John Gazzaniga
4* | CA | Stats | 0-0-0
May 25, 2025 - John Gazzaniga committed.

❌ Jalen Milroe | Dylan Lonergan

Alabama Recruiting Commits

2026 - FBS | FCS | D2 | D3 | NAIA | JUCO
2027 - FBS | FCS
2028 - FBS
Under player names show (from left) recruiting class, home state, highlights and commitment date with a link to player news feeds, in addition to decommits if necessary.

You can also use these pages to see which programs do not have a quarterback committed.

Tayden Kaawa
26 | UT | Hudl | 7/22/2025

Jett Thomalla
26 | NE | Hudl | 6/17/2025
Iowa State (4/18/2025-6/17/2025)

Alabama Transfers & Free Agents

FBS | FCS | D2 | D3 | NAIA | JUCO
Under player names show (from left) years of eligibility remaining heading into the 2025 season, home state and stats, in addition to 2024 games, starts and QB snaps via Pro Football Focus. You’ll also get the latest news on each player with links to player news feeds.

This includes uncommitted players who were on the 2024 roster and entered the transfer portal, left the team, were cut or are out of eligibility.

Jalen Milroe
1 | TX | Stats | 13-13-777
Jan. 2, 2025 - Jalen Milroe declared for the NFL Draft.

Best Available QB Recruits

2026 | 2027 | 2028 | 2029
Under player names show (from left) recruiting class, home state and highlights with a link to player news feeds, in addition to decommits if necessary. These include players with an FBS offer.

Players were randomly selected from the best available QB recruits pages through the next four recruiting classes.

Landen Abernethy
26 | VA | Hudl

Israel Abrams
27 | IL | Hudl

Zarien Adolphe
28 | TX | Hudl

Braden Biermann
29 | MO | Hudl

A paid subscription gets you everything including the full archive for $10/month or $60/year. This thing runs solely on reader subscriptions, so please sign up if you’d like to support my independent reporting and writing.

---

---

---

2026 QB Recruiting Notebook

Every prospect has an FBS offer with info coming directly from sources involved in the recruitment. Star ratings show the highest from 247, Rivals and ESPN.

3⭐ Nick Kinsey (OH) committed to Eastern Michigan for the opportunity to play early, he told me. Kinsey had visits scheduled Cincinnati, UAB, Appalachian State, Charlotte and Southern Miss but called the Eagles a great fit.
“The environment of family, the coaching staff and the offense they run factored into my decision of committing. I love the environment they are building.”