Photo tweeted by Julian Sayin
Recruiting Film Breakdown: Alabama Quarterback Commitment Julian Sayin
Julian Sayin is a five-star quarterback from the beach town of Carlsbad, Calif., and the consensus is he's going into his final high school season as the No. 2 quarterback in the recruiting Class of 2024.
Nick Saban's staff went back to the West Coast well that has produced many of the best passers at the college level, and he committed to Alabama football in November?
The last guy from California to play quarterback for the Crimson Tide won the program's first Heisman Trophy at the position.
Sayin comes in with a lot of similar hype, and yes, the comparisons to Bryce Young will do that. The 6-foot-1, 195 pound pro-style passer has the potential to earn some early playing time at the next level.
He finished his junior season with a 66 percent completion percentage, 27 touchdowns and four interceptions. He threw for more than 2,000 yards this past season and led the Carlsbad Lancers to an Avocado League Title and a 10-2 record.
While his numbers were down from his sophomore season, a lot of that had to do with Carlsbad losing a lot of talent, specifically the receivers, from the 2021-22 team that went 11-1 with Sayin at quarterback.
With his commitment going strong after a recent visit to Tuscaloosa a few weeks ago, here's what Sayin has to offer for the Crimson Tide:
Things That Stand Out
Sayin being listed as a pro-style quarterback doesn't do him justice with his mobility in the pocket. His ability to move past edge rushers and step up in the pocket is something that clearly stands out in his film.
While the initial clip above is only a 10-yard pass, Sayin's mobility to evade the edge rushers and get a throw across his body in a tough window showcased that ability perfectly.
Another thing that immediately stood out from his tape was his accuracy. Much like in the NFL draft, players at the top high schools sometimes get knocked for being surrounded by top-notch talent, especially the wide receivers and how open they sometimes are.
Sayin does not fit in that category. He's extremely accurate with the football and doesn't make many mistakes with his passes. The clip below shows an incredible back-shoulder throw that goes for a touchdown.
This was a difficult throw, with a small window. He did a standout job to get the ball out of his hands and on target for the touchdown.
Facing a blitz is something that Sayin does really well. Despite being listed as 6-1, he can take a hit and still deliver the ball. The clip above shows that, as does the clip below at the 1:35 mark — when while under pressure he delivers to the running back for a big pickup:
The final thing that I really noticed Sayin doing a good job of is throwing on the run. If his line breaks down and no one is open, he is able to escape the pocket and find the open man. Coming into an SEC environment in 2024 will be tough, and Sayin could have to go to Texas and Oklahoma along with the normal slate of SEC foes. Sometimes the line just cant hold up in that kind of environment.
The subsequent clip shows maybe the best example of his decision making while on the move from the defense and his ability to extend the play:
Finally, his ability to accurately read a defense pre-snap and figure out where the ball should go, needs to to mentioned. Sayin's football IQ shows at the 1:34 mark:
Sayin saw that he had a linebacker matchup in a zone defense against his receiver. He threw into the open middle part of the field to lead his receiver and pick up a huge gain.
Areas of Improvement
Besides his size (which could change by the time he arrives on campus), the only area of real concern for Sayin is his arm strength. It's not a major knock considering how accurate he is with the football, but still noteworthy.
This clip below is from a 55-7 win for Carlsbad (which is located midway between Los Angeles and San Diego), but demonstrates a missed opportunity:
Keep in mind, Sayin still has a final season to play in high school.
Final Verdict:
The subhead of this breakdown asked the question: Is Sayin is as good as advertised? The simple answer is a yes. His accuracy, decision making, and his ability to escape the pocket shows that he should be ready to play at the next level, and while Crimson Tide fans hope that he hasn't stopped growing, size has not stopped Alabama quarterbacks from succeeding in the SEC.
Sayin was described as one of the most "ready" players in the 2024 recruiting class, and from watching his tape one can easily see why.
