Back during the 2017 recruiting process, now-Georgia QB Jake Fromm flipped his commitment from Alabama to the Bulldogs, and what happened next, as they say, is history.

However, his counterpart that remained in Tuscaloosa — Tua Tagovailoa — just completed his fairy-tale moment, too, leading the Crimson Tide on a second-half comeback against Fromm’s Bulldogs in Monday’s National Championship Game.

FAU coach Lane Kiffin was at Alabama as that process played out, and told Dan Patrick on Tuesday that the Crimson Tide actually preferred Tagovailoa to Fromm:

“We thought Fromm was great when we went and watched him practice,” Kiffin said. “This guy was an unbelievable leader, a great baseball player, great command of the team in practice. You knew this guy was going to be really, really, special.

“But when you just watch Tua’s talent — this was off-the-charts unique. Fromm is a great leader, Fromm is very talented. But Jake Fromm’s not a first-round draft pick. You don’t watch him and say that guy is going to be a first-round draft pick. You watch and say that guy is a great college quarterback. If he has the right surrounding cast also, which he does have a phenomenal cast around him. Tua’s got a higher ceiling.”

It’s clear Kiffin thought a lot of Fromm, too, but Tagovailoa just has more to offer, in his opinion.

Now, the two freshmen are linked together by Monday’s experience, so it’ll be interesting to see how their college careers progress from here.