QB Lonergan, No. 62 recruit for ’23, picks Bama

As a multisport athlete, Dylan Lonergan isn’t afraid of a little competition.

Lonergan demonstrated that yet again by committing to Alabama on Monday.

“I just felt like I have the best chance to develop there in football and in baseball,” he said. “Then obviously going to compete and going to play on the biggest stage, be able to play for a national championship every year.”

Lonergan, a 6-foot-2, 210-pound quarterback from Brookwood High School in Snellville, Georgia, is No. 62 on the 2023 ESPN 300.

He’s the last ESPN 300 quarterback of the 2023 cycle to commit and is the second ESPN 300 quarterback to join the Crimson Tide in this class, joining Eli Holstein (No. 59) from Zachary High School in Zachary, Louisiana.

“The way the quarterback room is set up, even with Eli coming in — there’s only going to be four quarterbacks on scholarship when I get there,” Lonergan said. “So it’s going to be an open competition is what I’ve heard from the coaches.”

For the first time since 2019, when Taulia Tagovailoa and Paul Tyson committed, Alabama has multiple ESPN 300 quarterbacks in the same class.

Nick Saban and Crimson Tide offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien have both been upfront with Lonergan that he’ll have the chance to compete.

“Just got to be able to compete for a job,” Lonergan said.

Alabama’s class is currently ranked 14th by ESPN and has seven ESPN 300 prospects.

Lonergan chose Alabama over South Carolina and Stanford with the full intent of playing both baseball and football. All three programs afforded him the opportunity to play both sports. He’s a first baseman and right-handed pitcher for the Brookwood baseball team.

“I’d say it’s the biggest factor for me,” Lonergan said. “If I can’t play both, I’m definitely not going to that school.”

Lonergan accumulated 3,932 total yards (3,412 passing) and 39 touchdowns (32 passing) for Brookwood as a junior in 2021. And he anticipates his versatility being a good fit inside the pro-style system O’Brien runs.

“I’d say that I have a strong arm, can make every throw on the field,” Lonergan said. “Smart. Very athletic. Can make plays with my legs running it, too.”