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Bryce Young on following 3 consecutive NFL QBs at Alabama: 'It's something that you sign up for'

Jerell Rushin
The Tuscaloosa News

Archie Manning and the football world have taken notice of Alabama football's rise to the "QBU" conversation. The previous three Crimson Tide starters at quarterback before 2021 Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young were high NFL Draft picks.

Young became the second consecutive Crimson Tide signal-caller to win the the Manning Award for the nation's top college quarterback.

Tua Tagovailoa was selected No. 5 in the 2020 and Jalen Hurts was taken in the second round. Mac Jones was a first-round pick in 2021. All three started for and led their respective franchises to the NFL playoffs this season.

Young embraced the chance to follow in their footsteps.

"For me it was something to take pride it," Young said. "It really was an advantage to watch film on those guys when I first got here. It's encouraging to see the success that they have. I'm just happy to do the best that I can to try to push forward the legacy of quarterbacks here."

Alabama quarterback Jalen Hurts (2) leads the way to the next drill during Alabama's fall camp football practice, Saturday, Aug. 19, 2017, at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala. The individual drills preceded the Tide's second scrimmage. Alsop pictured are Alabama quarterback Mac Jones (10) and Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (13). (Vasha Hunt/Alabama Media Group via AP)

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Young is the only quarterback in Alabama history to win the Heisman Trophy and is a top NFL prospect, too, after passing for program single-season records 4,872 yards and 47 touchdowns. He also was a consensus all-American and won the Maxwell Award and O'Brien Award.

Young was asked if there was pressure to follow his three predecessors. He calmly answered no.

"You understand there's always going to be expectations," Young said. "You understand that there's going to be great players that come before you and really set the precedent for what you want to accomplish individually and what we want to accomplish as a team. I didn't think it was necessarily added pressure because I understood it going in. It wasn't something that suddenly happened. It's something that you sign up for, that you understand at the moment you even consider Alabama, let alone contributing and being a part of the team."

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