Jalen Milroe is off to the 2025 NFL Draft as expected, wasting little time in announcing his decision after Alabama's shocking loss to Michigan in the ReliaQuest Bowl. Kalen DeBoer and the Crimson Tide likely aren't surprised, even considering Milroe's struggles throughout 2024. His decision seemed to come down to transferring or declaring for the NFL.

Now, the Tide have to move on from Milroe, who is projected to go fourth overall in our latest 2025 NFL mock draft. Here are there starting options for 2025 without the dual-threat.

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Ty Simpson

Backup quarterback Ty Simpson is likely the odds-on favorite to start the 2025 season for the Tide. He previously said he's ready to start, and there was some surprise when he opted against transferring out before this past year. Simpson will be a fourth-year junior in 2025.

This season, he participated in six games, passing for 167 yards with a 14-of-25 completion rate. Additionally, he rushed for 44 yards and scored one touchdown on eight carries in his third year with the Alabama football team.

The former 5-star QB has yet to start, though, and his small sample size hasbeen nothing special. He has some running ability as well, though obviously is not comparable to Milroe.

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Austin Mack

Mack is another competitor with some college experience, though it's somewhat limited. He transferred from Washington to Alabama ahead of the 2024 season, following DeBoer. 

Mack graduated from high school a year early and spent the 2023 season with the Huskies. As a result, despite being in his third year of college, he has only been out of high school for two years. 

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He didn’t get to play for Washington in 2023 and saw minimal action in 2024, playing behind Milroe and Simpson. This season, Mack completed two out of three passes for 39 yards and had one touchdown against Mercer.

“He’s really come a long way,” DeBoer said of Mack in December. “It’s fun seeing him take advantage of even the scout team reps he took and just his ability to throw the ball where he wants it. And sometimes that’s a great opportunity because if you make a mistake it’s not the end of the world, but you can keep honing in on your skills. So, he did a lot this year to help those guys with the defense and now he’s getting more and more reps. So I’m excited about his future, for sure.”

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Keelon Russell

The elephant in the room right now and will continue to be until he's named the starter is 5-star dual athlete Keelon Russell. Coming off an incredible end of his high school career, Russell is ranked as the No. 2 passer in a deep crop of prospects. We have him No. 3, but it's close as Tavien St. Clair and Bryce Underwood are only slightly ahead.

The raw physical ability is certainly there for Russell, and he seems more mentally prepared to play at a high level than most recruits are. 

“He’s got the arm talent, is accurate, can throw different arm slots,” DeBoer said in December. “Then also the ability as an athlete to make plays with his feet too.”

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But is it reasonable for the 6-foot-3, 175-pounder to catch up on Simpson's experience and time in DeBoer's offense? Is it even wise to push a true freshman into the role when the Tide lack a deep array of high-end playmaking and a run game?

I'd argue that wouldn't be the best case for his development, or for DeBoer to rehab his image with the fan base.