Alabama just wrapped up its first big official visit weekend of the offseason, but with just 5 players committed to the 2026 class, Kalen DeBoer and his staff still have plenty of work cut out for them on the recruiting trail. That includes adding a 2026 quarterback, and they could be zeroing in on four-star Matt Ponatoski.
Ty Simpson is likely taking over as the starting QB for DeBoer and Grubb in 2025, and 2025 five-star Keelon Russell is the heir-apparent in Tuscaloosa, but DeBoer, Grubb, and even head baseball coach Rob Vaughn are in hot pursuit of Ponatoski. The two-sport star from Ohio recently scheduled an official visit to Alabama for June 6 and quickly narrowed down his recruitment to a final four that includes the Crimson Tide.
4-star QB Matt Ponatoski includes Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, and Oregon in Top 4
Ponatoski intends to play both sports at the next level, which is not unheard of, even for a quarterback, but is still rare. Jameis Winston and Kyler Murray both managed to pull it off while winning Heisman Trophies and Florida State and Oklahoma, respectively. However, those comparisons are certainly a bit lofty for the 278th-ranked player in the 2026 class according to 247Sports Composite rankings.
Whoever the Crimson Tide add at quarterback in the 2026 class could be hard-pressed to see the field during the first two seasons of their career, but in the transfer portal era, depth at the quarterback position is more important than ever.
With Russell as the presumptive starter as a sophomore in 2026, regardless of how Simpson plays in his redshirt junior season, Simpson and redshirt junior Austin Mack, who is also competing for the starting job this offseason, could both be out the door for starting opportunities elsewhere.
On the baseball field, Ponatoski is a shortstop and right-handed pitcher. If he plans to stay on the mound, he could be a fit at any of the four landing spots, which have all presumably offered him the opportunity to play two sports, but if he intends to play the field, his baseball career could have more sway as he searches for the best opportunity to start.
As long as Alabama holds onto Russell, the Tide are comfortable at quarterback, but adding a 2026 QB is still a priority, and with 16 of the top 20 QBs in the class already committed, Ponatoski’s recruitment will be important to watch throughout the summer.