Alabama may have been celebrating the 2015 season’s national championship in Tuscaloosa on Saturday, but that didn’t stop Greg McElroy from looking ahead to 2016.

McElroy, who once celebrated a national title of his own as a quarterback with the Crimson Tide, was on hand as part of the SEC Network’s television coverage of the event, which included a parade and trophy presentation.

He was asked about the Crimson Tide replacing QB Jake Coker, who has played his final down of college ball, in preparation for the 2016 season.

Cooper Bateman, who started the Ole Miss game this season, former five-star recruit Blake Barnett and David Cornwell appear to be three of the top choices to replace the fifth-year senior.

McElroy already has an early lean for who that replacement might be.

Here’s a look at what he said, as transcribed by SEC Country:

“If I were to guess, I might lean toward Blake Barnett,” McElroy said on Saturday’s broadcast. “He’s a young kid that has some stuff, and he was exceptional on scout team this year, giving these guys a really nice look.”

Alternatively, McElroy said a move to Cooper Bateman would require some shift in offensive philosophy:

“If he’s the quarterback, he’s more athletic than what we’ve seen from Jake Coker,” McElroy said. “(He’s) a guy that played receiver in the spring last year, showed he can really move and shake. Could look a little bit more like the Blake Sims version of the Alabama offense when you get into the 2016 season.”

It is clear that no matter who replaces Coker, they will have a distinctly different skill set, the strengths of which offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin likely will adapt his offense to cater.

He already showed an ability and willingness to do that transitioning from Blake Sims to Coker from the 2014 to 2015 season.

This quarterback competition will be one of the top position battles to watch during this offseason, and it has the opportunity to stretch well into fall camp, much like it did in 2015.