Keelon Russell, an Alabama freshman quarterback, arrived in Tuscaloosa in January, and with him came big expectations.
A Duncanville, Texas, native, he was ranked the No. 2 quarterback in the 2025 recruiting class, and right before enrolling, Rivals recognized him as the No. 1 recruit. His spectacular high school career has caused comparisons with NFL QB Jayden Daniels.
Keelon Russell Receives Jayden Daniels Comparison
The Washington Commanders quarterback once played for LSU, where his college career culminated in a Heisman Trophy win in 2023. Daniels’ was drafted No. 2 overall in 2024. The major consensus is that Russell would walk a similar road.
Andrew Ivins, director of scouting for 247Sports, has compared Russell to Daniels. Similarly, Rivals national recruiting director Adam Gorney has done the same, citing their similar playing styles and physique.
“The Alabama signee is a tall, lean quarterback who has phenomenal accuracy and playmaking skills,” Gorney said. “He is comfortable sitting in the pocket and delivering strikes, but also has the athleticism and intelligence to know when he has to escape and make plays with his feet.”
In high school, Russell put up amazing numbers, passing for 4,177 yards, completing 66.7% of his passes, and throwing 55 touchdowns with only four interceptions. He also ran for 321 yards and three scores. These stats saw him take home awards like Gatorade National Football Player of the Year and Under Armour All-America honors.
Alabama 5-Star QB signee Keelon Russell @Pres1dential made it look effortlessly on his first drive in the Under Armour All-America Game. pic.twitter.com/2K2vadSllS
— Justin Smith (@Jdsmith31Smith) January 2, 2025
However, despite his repertoire, he will have to compete for the starting QB job in 2025, facing competition from Ty Simpson and Austin Mack.
Simpson was Jalen Milroe’s backup for the past two seasons and has played in 15 games. He’s thrown 50 passes but hasn’t scored a touchdown.
He’s good at running and has scored three rushing scores. His passing game will be important to see if he can run the offense head coach Kalen DeBoer wants.
Meanwhile, Austin Mack is in his third season with DeBoer, having followed him from Washington to Alabama. Last year, Mack was the No. 4 QB on the lineup. Originally a part of the 2024 recruiting class, he reclassified to 2023, where 247Sports ranked him as a top-100 prospect.
KEEP READING: 2025 Alabama QB Depth Chart — Could Russell Really Be QB1 Next Season?
Given that the two also have zero college football starts, the Alabama offense this upcoming season would be fairly new.
However, it’s a veteran team on defense, so that should give the other side of the lineup more time to acclimate.
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