In need of his first quarterback commitment as Alabama’s coach, Kalen DeBoer turned to a Texas high school football district where the competition is so rugged, it’s known as the “District of Doom.”
There, DeBoer found a quarterback in full bloom.
Keelon Russell isn’t DeBoer’s first commitment at Alabama, but he might well be the one we remember most from his first class.
Quarterbacks are recruiting linchpins. Nick Saban knew how to pick ‘em. Saban’s quarterback signees included Bryce Young, Tua Tagovailoa, Mac Jones, AJ McCarron, Jalen Hurts and Jalen Milroe.
That’s a who’s who.
Rarely did Saban’s Crimson Tide rely on a transfer quarterback.
Recruiting ranked chief among Saban’s super skills, and DeBoer’s crootin’ chops will be scrutinized throughout his first season.
DeBoer entered pirate mode for his first act of Alabama quarterback recruiting. He plundered Russell, this treasured four-star commitment, from … SMU?!?
Yes, really.
Alabama’s new prized quarterback commitment previously planned to play for the Mustangs.
The devil’s advocate in me would say raiding SMU’s recruiting class hardly mirrors Saban’s playbook, but that devil can shut his trap for a moment, because I’ve seen Russell’s highlight reel, I’ve reviewed his offer list, and I’ve read what the recruiting analysts say about him.
Russell’s flip is worth celebrating for Alabama.
SMU’s move to the ACC became a boon for its recruiting. The Mustangs previously boasted the nation’s 12th-ranked 2025 recruiting class. No longer, after Russell’s defection.
Dave Campbell’s Texas Football is the authority on football in the Lone Star State, and the publication ranks Russell as the state’s No. 1 quarterback prospect.
I phoned Greg Powers, Dave Campbell’s director of recruiting, on Wednesday for some informed insight into Russell’s game.
Powers used these three words to describe Russell:
Accurate. Poised. Efficient.
That description ought to be music to Alabama fans’ ears.
“Honestly, I think Michael Penix Jr. is a good comparison to him,” Powers told me. “He’s kind of a right-handed version of that.”
That’s awfully interesting. Penix, of course, thrived while playing for DeBoer, and he finished as the Heisman Trophy runner-up last season at Washington.
Like Penix, Russell features “an extremely quick release,” Powers said.
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A few other observations:
∎ Russell pledged to instate SMU early in his junior season. Offers rolled in during the spring from bigger fish like Alabama and Oregon. The Tide offered in April, after DeBoer had replaced Saban.
∎ Russell’s lanky frame – he’s listed at 6-foot-3, 175 pounds – will require attention in Alabama’s weight room. At first glance, he looks like a track sprinter – and he is. He’s a two-sport star at Duncanville. His speed shows on the field, and he changes lanes with ease.
∎ Although Russell’s highlight reel features several clips of the quarterback making plays with his legs, his passing ability can’t be overlooked. “He’s a pass-first guy,” Powers said. “He runs to extend plays. He has good vision. He keeps his eyes locked down the field as he’s moving around in the pocket to extend those plays.”
∎ Russell led Duncanville to back-to-back Texas 6A-Division I state championships and a 29-1 record the past two seasons. But, he didn’t begin his sophomore season as the starting quarterback. Russell seized the wheel after teammate Jameir Willis suffered a leg injury in the 2022 season opener. “Once Keelon got the reins, the offense started to take off,” Powers said. “He got better and better and better, and right now he’s peaking.”
∎ Russell plays with and against elite prospects. Duncanville’s “District of Doom” also includes DeSoto, the defending Texas 6A-Division II state champion. DeSoto snapped Duncanville’s 22-game winning streak last October during the regular season. Russell threw for 296 yards and two touchdowns in the loss.
∎ Russell’s teammate, wide receiver Dakorien Moore, is an uncommitted five-star prospect in the 2025 recruiting class. Moore decommitted from LSU in May. His three finalists are Texas, Ohio State and Oregon.
Russell will require polish at Alabama, but who better to assist him than DeBoer, a proven quarterback developer? That seems to be Russell’s mentality. He sure doesn’t lack for confidence.
“I’m going to get there and ball out, for sure,” Russell told ESPN.
Already, he’s thrived amid the “Doom.”
Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network’s SEC Columnist. Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter @btoppmeyer.
Also, check out his podcast, SEC Football Unfiltered, and newsletter, SEC Football Unfiltered. Subscribe to read all of his columns.
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