Julian Sayin, nation's No. 2 quarterback in 2024, down to all-SEC top 3, planning November commitment

>>> UPDATE - Nation's No. 2 QB Julian Sayin has 'awesome' Alabama visit; Decision coming soon

Carlsbad High School (California) five-star quarterback Julian Sayin has already taken visits all over the country to check out his options.

And he has a lot of them.

The 6-foot-1, 185-pound signal-caller is rated the nation's No. 15 overall prospect and No. 2 quarterback in the class of 2024.

So, it should come as no surprise he's racked up more than 20 major scholarship offers. 

On Friday, Sayin indicated he is strongly considering a top three of Alabama, Georgia and LSU and plans to announce his college decision soon. 

"I was hoping to do it before the end of the season," Sayin said. "Our championship game - we plan to make the championship - is November 19."

Before he makes a decision, however, the California quarterback is taking what could amount to a final visit to Alabama this weekend. 

"I probably won't get to another visit this year for a game because of my schedule," he said. "It's definitely going to be important to me to build a relationship with those coaches and experience the gameday vibe."

So, what does he like about the Crimson Tide? 

"There's so much winning history there," Sayin said. "They have 18 national championships. Coach (Nick) Saban, what he's done there and what a great coach he is,  he's arguably the best coach of all-time. What's not to like about it?" 

While Alabama may end up getting the last visit, LSU has been recruiting the five-star signal-caller for a long time and is a strong contender. 

"I love LSU," Sayin said. "Coach (Brian) Kelly, he recruited me at Notre Dame and came over to LSU. I started building a relationship with the quarterback coach, coach (Joe) Sloan. I really like him. It feels like a family there and they've really treated me and my family well. I really like them." 

The other top-three school, Georgia, stands out for its winning tradition, a tradition the Bulldogs added to with another national championship last season. 

"National champs... they have a winning history there," Sayin said. "They are doing a really good job of recruiting other players, so you know you'll have good talent around you."

No matter who Sayin chooses, it's becoming a lock that he winds up as an SEC quarterback. 

"it's definitely the best conference, and you've got to want to play at the highest level," he said. "I feel like that's the highest level, for sure."

Asked if he is planning to choose an SEC school.

"Yeah, I would say so," he said. "Those three are pretty much who I'm looking at." 

Analysis

The battle for Sayin's services has largely been viewed as an LSU-Georgia battle for some time.

For example, 247Sports has a Georgia crystal ball pick in for Sayin from July, while On3 has Georgia slightly leading LSU with Alabama running fourth.  

However, Alabama getting what could amount to the last trip firmly throws them in the mix, while Georgia's recent addition of class of 2024 quarterback Ryan Puglisi should raise eyebrows.

Could this be an Alabama-LSU finish? 

With Puglisi's recent Georgia commitment, that feels like where this is headed.

So, this weekend's visit is absolutely crucial in Sayin's recruitment. 

Regardless of how it shakes out, it looks like "Sayin to the SEC" is the only lock at this point. 

Sophomore season highlights