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Former Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Blake Barnett intends to transfer to the Arizona State Sun Devils, he announced via his Twitter account Monday night.
Forks Up #committed pic.twitter.com/buQWSnOuex
— B² (@Blake8Barnett) December 6, 2016
Barnett, a Corona, Calif. native, is a former five-star recruit who originally committed to and played for Alabama.
The 6-foot-5, 211-pound right-hander redshirted his freshman year in Tuscaloosa after being rated the No. 1 pocket passer in his recruiting class by ESPN and the No. 2 dual-threat quarterback by Rivals. He was named the Crimson Tide’s starter entering the 2016 season, but was replaced by Jalen Hurts.
Barnett will have at least two full years of eligibility remaining, and will be available next season (NCAA transfer require players to sit out a full calendar year, and he will most likely miss the first month of the 2017 season). He threw for 219 yards and two touchdowns in three appearances this season, completing 57.9 percent of his passes.
Barnett joins an already crowded ASU quarterback unit, which includes Manny Wilkins, Dillon Sterling-Cole, Brady White and Bryce Perkins.
The group was already anticipating the arrival of four-star recruit Ryan Kelley, a local product from Basha High School, further complicating matters entering the offseason.