It was to be expected that there would be plenty of blowback following Nick Saban's surprising retirement announcement last week. There was the immediate transfer portal entries of Alabama star wide receiver Isaiah Bond and emerging tight end Amari Niblack, and now, the potential quarterback of the future in Tuscaloosa is entering the transfer portal before he had a chance to take a single snap for Alabama.

“Sources: Alabama freshman quarterback Julian Sayin, the top-ranked quarterback in the class of 2024, intends to enter the NCAA transfer portal,” per a tweet from ESPN insider Pete Thamel. “Sayin is expected to initiate the transfer process on Friday, per sources.”

Julian Sayin, a 6'1″ 5-star quarterback prospect from southern California is among the most highly regarded recruits in the country. According to 247 Sports, Sayin is the number two player in the state of California, and now after the departure of Nick Saban, Sayin is available on the open market, and will have plenty of suitors. Among the two dozen or so schools that made official offers to Sayin are SEC competitors Florida, Auburn, Georgia, LSU, Missouri, Texas, and Texas A&M, along with a handful of Big Ten powerhouses, such as Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State, USC, and UCLA.

Depending on where Julian Sayin ends up, he could potentially have a chance to compete for a starting job right away, though that won't necessarily factor into Sayin's decision. His decision to attend the University of Alabama came with the understanding that incumbent starter and 2024 Heisman Trophy front-runner Jalen Milroe would be returning. Though Milroe's job was initially up for grabs at the beginning of the season, he more than proved that he would be Alabama's quarterback for the foreseeable future.