Jett Thomalla went to bed on Monday night planning to stick with his Iowa State commitment. But by Tuesday morning, the four-star quarterback had flipped to Alabama—a decision that sent shockwaves through the college football world. His change of heart came just hours before the Elite 11 competition, where he backed up the buzz by throwing absolute lasers.
Thomalla, ranked No. 15 among quarterbacks in the 2026 class, had offers from 12 schools, including Arizona, Virginia Tech, and Duke. He originally committed to Iowa State in April, but Alabama entered the picture with an offer on May 15. The prestige of the Crimson Tide and the opportunity to develop under head coach Kalen DeBoer—known for grooming NFL-level quarterbacks—was simply too good to pass up.
Despite reassuring Iowa State’s QB coach Jake Waters just 12 hours earlier, Thomalla followed his instincts and made the flip. That afternoon, he hit the field at Elite 11 and proved why Alabama moved fast to land him.
His arm strength and poise stood out immediately, turning him into one of the fastest-rising prospects in his class.
At 6-foot-3.5 and 205 pounds, Thomalla has the ideal quarterback build. He pairs that with a cannon for an arm and impressive mobility. A multi-sport athlete, he also plays basketball for Millard South High School, where he’s thrown down in-game dunks with either hand—enough for a full highlight reel.
Thomalla is a strong fit for DeBoer and offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb’s uptempo system. While it’s too early for direct comparisons to Michael Penix Jr., the athletic tools and arm talent are similar. And with Alabama’s quarterback room already deep, Thomalla will have time to develop—making this flip a potentially massive win for the Crimson Tide in the long run.
Remember the name: Jett Thomalla.
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