The Bryce Young era is officially over at Alabama.

The 2021 Heisman Trophy winner on Monday announced he’d be leaving for the NFL draft after going out on a high note. He joined Will Anderson and Jahmyr Gibbs as underclassmen who will go pro in a Monday news conference.

Young, a junior who graduated Saturday from Alabama, is a projected top-five pick with a shot at being the No. 1 overall selection.

The Sugar Bowl was a fitting farewell as Young completed 15 of 21 passes for 321 yards and five touchdowns in a 45-20 win over Kansas State.

“Coming here,” Young said Monday, “was the best decision of my life.”

This move opens the door for Alabama’s two young quarterbacks to begin the competition for the 2023 starting job.

Redshirt freshman Jalen Milroe started in Young’s place for the Oct. 8 win over Texas A&M when Young was sidelined with an injured shoulder that became a key what-if for his final Crimson Tide season. True freshman Ty Simpson completed 4 of 5 passes for 35 yards in four appearances.

For Young, the book is officially closed on a historic and complex Alabama career. Arriving as the No. 2 overall recruit in the 2020 class, the Pasadena product was considered a contender to replace Tua Tagovailoa and join Jalen Hurts as a rare freshman starting quarterback.

But the COVID-19 pandemic canceled the 2020 spring practice schedule after Young enrolled early. Mac Jones ultimately took charge of that veteran-laden team that went undefeated and barely challenged in a national-title run. Young completed 13 of 22 passes in backup duty, accounting for 156 yards and a single touchdown pass to Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith.

A year later, it was Young who claimed the prize as the first quarterback from Alabama to win the Heisman. He set the program record for single-season passing yardage (4,872) and touchdowns (47) with a dynamic set of receivers.

The Heisman win came a week after an SEC title-game upset of No. 1 Georgia, but that same Bulldog defense handed Young a crushing blow in the national title game a few weeks later. With John Metchie already out with a knee injury and Jameson Williams going down in the first half, Young went 35-for-57 with 369 yards a touchdown and two interceptions.

Expectations were just as high entering Year 3 but it wouldn’t be a smooth ride. A sloppy 20-19 win at Texas required some Young magic in the fourth quarter to lead the drive ending with the game-winning field goal.

Three weeks later came the hit that changed everything. Former Alabama linebacker Drew Sanders, who transferred to Arkansas, sacked Young in a second-quarter hit that sprained the quarterback’s throwing shoulder. He missed the Texas A&M game the following week before returning for the showdown at Tennessee. And while Young delivered a gutty performance, the potential game-winning drive was stopped on three straight incomplete passes. A 50-yard missed field goal from Will Reichard set up Tennessee’s walk-off kick seconds later.

While he was playing in games, Nick Saban said Young was on a pitch count in practice and the offense sputtered at times. A 32-31 overtime loss at LSU on Nov. 5 was the final blow to an Alabama playoff hope.

His final game in Bryant-Denny Stadium was an Iron Bowl win over Auburn. It included 20-for-30 passing with 343 yards and three touchdowns paired with 48 rushing yards and a touchdown on the ground.

But without the same talent at receiver, numbers and results didn’t match the 2021 season. Young finished sixth in the Heisman voting while completing 64.5% of his passes (compared to 66.9% the previous year).

Michael Casagrande is a reporter for the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @ByCasagrande or on Facebook.