Elite 2023 QB Eli Holstein Commits to Alabama
Alabama has found its passer for the 2023 class. Elite quarterback Eli Holstein committed to Alabama on Thursday, choosing the Crismon Tide over Florida, LSU, Stanford, Texas A&M and others.
“It’s Alabama,” Holstein told Rivals in March. “They win a lot of national championships, put guys in the league recently, especially at my position. The last three quarterbacks that they’ve had that started for them are starting in the NFL right now. Two of them were top picks in the NFL Draft, the other one was second round. The guy they have now, in his first year won a Heisman and probably going to be a top pick in and the No. 1 pick next year.
"Just the track record they have with quarterbacks as of lately, and they’re always going to have guys around you, athletes that you can throw to that are going to be top picks in the draft when they come out as well. So you’re always going to be surrounded by the best guys in the country, and you’re going to have the best coaching staff as well.”
Holstein is rated as the No. 8 quarterback and No. 54 overall player in the 2023 class, according to the 247Sports Composite. He’s coming off of a junior season in which he completed 65.2% of his passes for 3,228 yards and 30 touchdowns with six interceptions while leading Zachary High School to a 15-0 record and a Louisiana Class 5A title.
Holstein is the fourth member of Alabama's 2023 class, joining defensive backs Jahlil Hurley and Elliot Washington as well as edge rusher Yhonzae Pierre.
Holstein, a native of Zachary, Louisiana, has visited Alabama’s campus several times recently, traveling to Tuscaloosa twice in March before taking in the Crimson Tide’s A-Day game in April. He is set to visit Alabama again from June 10-12.
The 6-foot-4, 222-pound quarterback recently set the SPARQ score record for quarterbacks at the Elite 11 camp in Las Vegas, posting a 133.56. During that event, he recorded a 4.64 time and a 4.19 time in the shuttle. He also threw a 45.5 power ball and posted a 38.3-inch vertical.
Holstein was previously committed to Texas A&M but backed off his pledge to the Aggies in March. His lead recruiter at Alabama has been defensive coordinator Pete Golding, who is in charge of the Louisiana area. Nick Saban and offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien also played a big role in his recruitment.
Holstein is one of Alabama’s top two targets at the quarterback position along with Arch Manning, who is the No. 1 overall player in the 2023 class. Both Holstein and Manning are set to visit Alabama on the second weekend of June. Alabama would almost certainly take both quarterbacks if Manning decides to follow suit and commit to the Crimson Tide in the future.
Alabama has signed a highly-rated quarterback in each of the past two years, bringing in Jalen Milroe in the 2021 class as well as SI99 member Ty Simpson this year. Those two, along with anyone else the Crimson Tide adds next year, will likely battle for the opening left behind by Young as he figures to leave for the NFL next offseason.
Gallery: Eli Holstein
Photo | Eli Holstein's Instagram account, @eli_holstein10
Photo | Eli Holstein's Instagram account, @eli_holstein10
© Michael DeMocker / For The Daily Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK
Josh Auzenne | WAFB
