Alabama QBs in NFL: Tua Tagovailoa, Mac Jones headline former Crimson Tide signal-callers

Alabama football has never wanted for top-tier players under Nick Saban. Case in point: The Crimson Tide coach has produced 123 prospects drafted in the NFL through 2023, including a league-leading 57 players on active rosters.

But even among those elite players, one group in particular stands out: A run of four quarterbacks who played in Tuscaloosa from 2016 through 2022, leading the program to unprecedented heights. Jalen Hurts, Tua Tagovailoa, Mac Jones and 2023 first overall pick Bryce Young, who start for the Eagles, Dolphins, Patriots and Panthers, respectively.

The arrival of Hurts in 2016 signified a shift in offensive philosophy for Saban's Crimson Tide: Instead of grinding out victories on the ground, Alabama would now rely on phenomenal quarterback play to pace the offense (an area in which the Tide find themselves struggling in 2023). But during that stretch run, Alabama used it to tremendous effectiveness, appearing in five College Football Playoffs in seven seasons behind its QBs.

So it's no surprise to see Hurts (via Oklahoma), Tagovailoa, Jones and Young transition to the NFL, where the former three have enjoyed varying degrees of success while Young begins his career. Here's everything you need to know about their 2023 NFL seasons and ties to Alabama:

REQUIRED READING: Paul Finebaum argues Jalen Milroe should be Alabama's starting QB in 2023

Alabama QBs in the NFL

Alabama currently has four starting quarterbacks in the NFL, more than any other college football team:

Jalen Hurts (Eagles)

2023 NFL stats: 40 of 56 passing (71.4 percent) for 363 yards, two touchdowns, one interception; 21 rushes for 72 yards, two touchdowns

Hurts has the defending NFC champion Eagles off to a 2-0 start in 2023, leading Philadelphia to victories over the Patriots in Week 1 and Vikings in Week 2 (a "Thursday Night Football" game). Hurts isn't off to quite the start he enjoyed in 2022, when he finished runner-up in the NFL MVP voting to Patrick Mahomes, but is still proving to be an efficient passer, dangerous deep ball threat and tremendous runner.

Tua Tagovailoa (Dolphins)

2023 NFL stats: 28 of 45 passing (62.2 percent) for 466 yards, three touchdowns and one interception

Tagovailoa torched the Chargers defense to the tune of 466 passing yards and three touchdowns to one interception, showing everyone why he was at one point a front runner for the 2022 NFL MVP before concussions derailed his season.

Tagovailoa spent the offseason building his body up and learning how to fall in an effort to stay healthy for the 2023 season. If he put those lessons to use and remains healthy for the entire season, his Week 1 outing suggests he can once again challenge for MVP.

REQUIRED READING: Who will Alabama start at quarterback against Mississippi? Nick Saban to decide this week

Mac Jones (Patriots)

2023 NFL stats: 35 of 54 passing (64.8 percent) for 316 yards, three touchdowns and one interception

Much was made about Jones' sophomore slump in 2022, though the thinking was that de facto offensive coordinator Matt Patricia was a root cause of his struggles. Jones may have lost to Hurts and the Eagles in Week 1 of the season, but he nearly mounted a comeback in a 25-20 loss to Philadelphia, completing 65 percent of his passes for 300-plus passing yards and three scores.

Bryce Young (Panthers)

2023 NFL stats: 20 of 38 passing (52.6 percent) for 146 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions

Young, the only Alabama quarterback to win the Heisman Trophy, struggled in his NFL debut for the Panthers in Week 1: He completed just over 50 percent of his passes for one touchdown and two interceptions in a 24-10 loss to the Falcons. The No. 1 overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft — the only Saban player at Alabama to achieve that feat — has room to grow in his rookie season, with a "Monday Night Football" showdown against the Saints in Week 2 shaping up to be his next test.

Do any Alabama QBs play each other in 2023?

Yes, each former Alabama quarterback will play at least one other QB in 2023. That includes the AFC East meetings between Tagovailoa's Dolphins and Jones' Patriots, but there are some non-divisional games that will pit the former signal-callers against each other as well.

Tagovailoa is the only quarterback who will play each of the former Crimson Tide signal-callers in 2023. Hurts has already played Jones and the Patriots, and next he'll play Tagovailoa and the Dolphins Oct. 22. Jones, of course, plays the Dolphins twice on Sep. 17 and Oct. 29. Young and the Panthers play Tagovailoa and the Dolphins Oct. 15. That means three straight weeks in which Tagovailoa will face Crimson Tide alumni.

Here's the full list of the games for the 2023 NFL season:

Jalen Hurts (Eagles)

• Sunday, Sept. 10: vs. Mac Jones (Eagles beat Patriots 25-20)

• Sunday, Oct. 22: vs. Tua Tagovailoa (Dolphins)

Tua Tagovailoa (Dolphins)

• Sunday, Sept. 17: vs. Mac Jones (Patriots)

• Sunday, Oct. 15: vs. Bryce Young (Panthers)

• Sunday, Oct. 22: vs. Jalen Hurts (Eagles)

• Sunday, Oct. 29: vs. Mac Jones (Patriots)

Mac Jones (Patriots)

• Sunday, Sept. 10: vs. Jalen Hurts (Patriots lose 25-20)

• Sunday, Sept. 17: vs. Tua Tagovailoa (Dolphins)

• Sunday, Oct. 29: vs. Tua Tagovailoa (Dolphins)

Bryce Young (Panthers)

• Sunday, Oct. 15: vs. Tua Tagovailoa (Dolphins)

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Alabama QBs in NFL, from Tua Tagovailoa to Bryce Young