Friday Night Notes: Alabama offers top-5 QB, Texas…

Friday Night Notes: Alabama offers top-5 QB, Texas favored for 2 blue-chip DBs and more

USA TODAY High School Sports‘ Friday Night Notes is a weekly high school recruiting recap that looks at the latest news from around the country—from the Class of 2023 to ’24 and beyond.

At the end of April, Alabama will be losing its starting quarterback, Bryce Young. The former Heisman winner is projected to be a top-five overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft and is the consensus No. 1 option among a deep class of QB prospects. Young’s exit will open up a spot at the top of the depth chart at the most important position in the game for the most-prestigious college football program in the country.

The work is of course already well underway to set up a line of successors. Alabama already has four other quarterbacks on their roster and two more coming in with their class of 2023. They also have a five-star recruit on deck in 2024 with Julian Sayin from Carlsbad (Calif.).

Now Nick Sabans’s staff is turning their attention to the QB class of 2025.

According to Roll Tide Wire, they’ve made an offer to Houston County (Ga.) four-star quarterback Antwann Hill, who is coming off an awesome Sophomore season. Hill threw for 3,663 passing yards and 40 touchdowns while completing over 70% of his passes.

It’s always tough to compete with Alabama in the recruiting game, but according to 247Sports, Hill does have offers from 22 other programs to choose from. He certainly seems to be enjoying the attention.

Where we going ???
Go like it on my IG: an1wann@SteezoDsgn pic.twitter.com/aQWVHQe8Fv

— Antwann Hill Jr. (@antwann_jr) March 5, 2023

Going by the composite rankings, Hill (6-foot-5, 215 pounds) is ranked No. 5 among quarterbacks in his class and No. 57 overall in the nation.

Texas emerging favorite for two 2024 defensive backs

Aaron E. Martinez / American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK

Alabama and Georgia are the teams to beat in the cut-throat world of college football recruiting. However, the Texas Longhorns are a rising power in this race under third-year head coach Steve Sarkisian. In 2023 they put together the third-ranked class overall, including the nation’s No. 1 ranked quarterback as well as the top running back.

While the Longhorns’ offense is definitely trending up, right now they’re working on building up the back end of their defense.

The forecast is strong for the Texas secondary, as well. According to Longhorns Wire, they are the favorite to land two blue-chip defensive backs in the class of 2024. That includes Lancaster (Texas) four-star safety Corian Gipson and Lake Belton (Texas) four-star cornerback Selman Bridges. According to On3’s prediction model, the Longhorns have a 91% chance of getting Gipson and 94% for Bridges.

While it’s good to be in the lead, it’s never over until it’s over. Gipson has offers from 38 different schools and Bridges has 24.

UNC, Purdue pick up 2 commitments each

Purdue and Mississippi State added four-star quarterbacks to their 2024 recruiting classes this week. North Carolina also had a good week, picking up commitments from two playmakers.

Here are all of the most recent notable college commitments, per On3.

Chaminade-Madonna (Fla.) RB Davion Gause: North Carolina (2024)

Christ School (NC) ATH Khalil Conley: North Carolina (2024)

Lee (Texas) quarterback Marcos Davila: Purdue (2024)

Immaculate Conception (Ill.) TE Eric Karner: Purdue (2024)

Bloomington South (Ind.) EDGE Tysen Smith: Toledo (2024)

Winona Secondary School (MS) LB Fred Clark: Ole Miss (2024)

Central Catholic Irish (Ohio) iOL Marc Nave: Ohio State (2024)

Baker (Ala.) quarterback Josh Flowers: Mississippi State (2024)