Bryce Young on Alabama football roster movement: 'You see guys' lockers and the names not there'

Alabama football quarterback Bryce Young was asked about the movement in the roster following the 2021 College Football Playoff championship loss to Georgia on a video conference Tuesday for winning the 2021 Manning Award.

Young said the movement admittedly "sucks" but knows its part of modern college football. Sixteen known players have entered the transfer portal and at 11 are entering are entering the 2022 NFL Draft.

"At the end of a season there's always a lot of movement at all positions, players coaches, whatever it may be," Young said. "You always kind of know as the season comes to an end you might be approaching some of your last practices, your last games with some of your teammates. That's always going to hurt. It sucks losing guys to the drafts, guys to the portal, but I couldn't be more happy for everyone and all the decisions they just had to make."

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Tight end Jahleel Billingsley, edge Drew Sanders, backup quarterback Paul Tyson are some of the biggest names to enter the portal. The quarterback room will look very different for Young as two more backups entered the portal in Braxton Barker and Stone Hollenbach.

"It's kind of weird with the movement with guys not being here that you're used to (seeing)," Young said. "You see guys lockers and the names not there for the guys that you're used to being right next to. It's tough, and I'm going to miss all the guys that left. It's hard, but at the same time I'm super excited for everyone's next chapter."

Young said he's able to appreciate the moments he's had with the 2021 team although it ended without a national championship.

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Players entering the draft are Christian Harris, Jameson Williams, John Metchie III, Evan Neal, Jayln Armour-Davis, Slade Bolden, Josh Jobe, Phidarian Mathis, Christopher Allen, Brian Robinson Jr. and Chris Owens.

"Next year like it always is in college football, it's going to be some new faces," Young said. "There's always movement, but no one can take last year from us. Those are memories, moments that I'll cherish for the rest of my life."

Contact Jerell Rushin at 205-600-4015 or jrushin@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JerellRushin_.