Nick Saban, Alabama reportedly holding talks with Arch Manning in April

Alabama and head coach Nick Saban seem to have set their sights on the quarterback to replace Bryce Young with, and he's from one of the most prestigious football families in history.

Arch Manning, son of Cooper and nephew to Eli and Peyton, has become one of the top quarterback recruits, and it's not just because of his pedigree either. No, Nick Saban wouldn't go all-in on a quarterback like Arch just to say he landed a Manning. Saban wants the best and only the best for the Crimson Tide, and that means going after the five-star recruit who stands atop the 2023 class.

Many schools have been after Arch Manning, but Alabama seems to be a finalist. The Louisiana-native prospect is reported to be visiting Tuscaloosa for the first time since 2021, and Alabama seems to have a set date of April 3rd. Arch's recruitment tour will heat up as we near the summer, and we will start to see exactly which programs he is serious about attending. Alabama currently has the third-best odds to land Manning at +350, behind only Georgia and Texas.

It has also been reported that Arch Manning is not the only top recruit to be coming through Tuscaloosa in that time frame. It seems to be a star-studded weekend for Saban as he will host Arch Manning, five-star safety Caleb Downs, and four-star defensive lineman Jatden Wayne.

As a recruiting tactic, it likely wouldn't have hurt to book a top offensive lineman or wide receiver the same weekend as Manning, but Saban is one of the best at what he does.

Alabama's 2023 recruitment class so far

As of March 2022, the Crimson Tide have already had two hard commitments sign from the 2023 recruitment class. One is cornerback Jahlil Hurley from Florence, Alabama. Hurley is the 24th ranked player in the nation and the fourth-best cornerback prospect. The other player is four-star safety Elliot Washington from Venice, Florida, who is ranked as the 12th-best safety.

Nick Saban is coming off having the second-best recruitment class in the nation last year and is currently ranked 25th. It's still early in the process, and they still have offers out to a variety of top-tier talent.

Four-star tackle Olaus Alinen is the #14 offensive tackle in the nation and is trending towards signing. The school also has offers to the #1 running back Richard Young and #1 receiver Brandon Inniss. If Arch Manning ends up playing for Saban, he'll need a top-notch offense to keep him around.