Tag: Keelon Russell

Alabama commit named to National Player of the Year watch list

The five-star’s senior season is off to a phenomenal start.

After a phenomenal start to his high school senior season, Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback commit Keelon Russell has been named to the watch list for the 2024 MaxPreps National Player of the Year.

Russell was one of 10 players named to the list Thursday joining Bryce Underwood and Julian Lewis, two other top quarterbacks in the class, as well as Auburn running back commit Alvin Henderson.

Playing for one of the nation’s top teams, Duncanville High School in Texas, Russell has led the Panthers to a 4-0 record that includes a 28-24 victory over national power St. Francis Academy in Maryland. Russell has completed 75% of his passes for 1,437 yards and a 19:0 TD:INT ratio, while also rushing for 125 yards and a touchdown.

The highest-rated commitment in Alabama’s 2025 class, Russell has been committed to the Crimson Tide since June 2024. Russell also ranks as the nation’s No. 11 overall player on the 247Sports composite. The five-star prospect is considered the No. 3 quarterback in the class.

Russell’s senior season will resume next week on the road at Texas’ DeSoto High School.

Elite 11 names Alabama commit Keelon Russell QB of the month in September

Alabama commit Keelon Russell named QB of the month by Elite 11.

The Alabama Crimson Tide’s transition from Nick Saban to Kalen DeBoer has been about as seamless as anyone could have hoped. DeBoer and the Tide are out an impressive 4-0 start that included a road win against the Wisconsin Badgers and a home victory over the No. 1 ranked Georgia Bulldogs. However, it was never the on-field success people doubted about DeBoer, it was how would he adjust to life on the recruiting trail in the South.

With Saban retiring on Jan. 10, DeBoer did an outstanding job of stepping in and keeping the 2024 recruiting class intact for the most part. Granted some recruits like Julian Sayin decided not to stick with the program, but he was able to keep guys like Zabien Brown and Jaylen Mbakwe. WR Ryan Williams actually was one of those who de-committed following Saban’s retirement, but after meeting DeBoer and hearing his plan he decided to come to Tuscaloosa anyway. A decision I am sure he is thrilled he made.

Even through the transition, DeBoer and Alabama finished with the No. 2 recruiting class in the country. Now that he’s been in Tuscaloosa for almost a year, the success on the recruiting trail is adding up with the top class in 2025. One of the biggest victories in recruiting came when DeBoer flipped five-star QB Keelon Russell from SMU to ‘Bama.

Russell is the No. 13 player in the class and the No. 3 ranked QB out of Duncanville, TX. The Texas native won the Elite 11 camp this summer which is a competition among the best rising senior QBs in the country with some previous winners being CJ Stroud, Caleb Williams and Tua Tagovailoa.

So far, Russell’s senior campaign has been sensational as he is completing 75% of his passes, for 1,437 yards and 19 TD with no picks through four games. He’s also carried the ball 16 times for 125 yards and a score. As a result, Elite 11 has named the former winner their “Baller of the Month” for a sensational September.

With this being Milroe’s last year in Tuscaloosa, Russell, Ty Simpson and Austin Mack will all be contention for the Tide’s QB1 role next fall.

Contact/Follow usย @RollTideWireย on Twitter, and like our page onย Facebookย to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion.ย You can also follow Sam Murphy on Twitter @SamMurphy02.

Duncanville head coach Reginald Samples isn’t focused on Texas football three-peat

Duncanville football isn’t focused on titles.

Reginald Samples is not focused on winning another 6A Division I state championship in Texas. That, the high school football head coach said, would be a distraction.

It has been consecutive state championships for Samples and his Duncanville (Duncanville, Texas) program (ranked seventh in the nation in the USA TODAY Sports preseason Super 25 football rankings). Last year’s run to a historic title has Duncanville being talked about as among the best programs in not only Texas, but the nation.

And for Samples, this is potentially dangerous talk. In an interview with Bally Sports, he said the focus can’t be on three-in-a-row.

“It would be historic,” Samples told Bally Sports.

“You look around the state of Texas, a great football state – there’s some great coaches, some great programs. When you start winning three championships, it starts putting you closer to the elite program…but it’s not something I want to think about. Because when you’re thinking about those type of things, you forget about what it takes to get there.”

Duncanville finished last season 14-1. They are led by quarterback Keelon Russell, an Alabama commit who is a five-star recruit and the tenth-ranked player in the nation according to 247Sports.

[lawrence-related id=101526908,101526899]

Alabama QB commit Keelon Russell named Elite 11 MVP

2025 four-star quarterback and Alabama football commit Keelon Russell was named the Elite 11 MVP!

For the first time since 2016, Alabama Crimson Tide football has a new quarterback named as the Elite 11 MVP with class of 2025 four-star quarterback [autotag]Keelon Russell[/autotag] earning the honor.

The last Alabama player to win the prestigious award was former five-star quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.

Russell was one of several high-profile quarterbacks that competed in the three-day event. The event includes individual drills, 7-on-7 competition, and instruction from quarterback experts. Overall, Russell was viewed as the best performer and was awarded the Elite 11 MVP.

Russell flipped his commitment from SMU to Alabama on June 4. Since then, Russell has confirmed that he is locked in with the Crimson Tide.

He has been active on the recruiting trail as well. The native of Duncanville, Texas is often seen reaching out to fellow prospects in the ’25 recruiting class on X to get them to commit to the Crimson Tide.

Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow the latest regarding the Alabama football program and its efforts on the recruiting trail.

Five-star WR target Kaliq Lockett shares selfie with Kalen DeBoer

Can Alabama land the five-star WR from Texas?

Kalen DeBoer and the Alabama Crimson Tide football coaching staff have turned out an incredible month of June on the recruiting trail. Between official visits, commitments, and hosting camps, DeBoer and his team have generated a lot of buzz in the industry.

DeBoer and the Tide hosted one of the prized recruits in the class of 2025 during this midweek with five-star wide receiver [autotag]Kaliq Lockett[/autotag] spending time in Tuscaloosa for an official visit.

Up until Alabama landed a commitment from quarterback [autotag]Keelon Russell[/autotag], the Tide were not considered in the mix for the talented wideout, but now appear to be among the leaders for the coveted prospect.

While on his official visit, Lockett released a selfie taken with the Crimson Tide’s new head coach on his social media profile.

Take a look!

Lockett appeared to enjoy his time in Tuscaloosa with Coach DeBoer and the Alabama staff and I wouldn’t count the Tide out just yet.

Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow Lockett’s recruitment and provide all updates as they become available.

Contact/Follow usย @RollTideWireย on X (Twitter), and like our page onย Facebookย to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Stacey Blackwood on X (Twitter) @Blackwood89.

Oregon QB target cancels visit to Eugene after commitment flip to Alabama

The Oregon Ducks are no longer expected to get a visit from 4-star QB Keelon Russell following his flip from SMU to Alabama.

The Oregon Ducks already have one quarterback committed in the 2025 recruiting class with 4-star Akili Smith Jr. being locked in since last year. However, it became clear this spring that they were pursuing a second, and the main target was Duncanville’s 4-star Keelon Russell.

Russell, who was previously committed to SMU, was a flip target for the Ducks, but the Alabama Crimson Tide stepped in the way of that this past week, flipping the QB who is ranked as the 38th-best player in the 2025 class.

It appears that Russell will now be shutting down his recruitment, and will no longer take any of the official visits that he had scheduled, one of which was to Eugene.

The Ducks will still likely pursue a second QB in the 2025 class, with 5-star Husan Longstreet expected to be the target, per multiple resorts.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Pony up to ‘Bama? Alabama football flips Keelon Russell from SMU

Keelon Russell is headed to Alabama.

Alabama football pulled off a big-time flip on Wednesday, landing quarterback Keelon Russell. The four-star had been committed to SMU before committing to the SEC juggernaut.

It is a big-time recruiting win for Alabama to not just land the consensus four-star recruit but to flip him from his hometown school.

247Sports has Russell as the No. 39 player in the nation in the 2025 class. According to ESPN, he is the top quarterback recruit in the class.

Baylor, Duke, Florida, Ole Miss, Oregon, TCU and Virginia Tech were all offers in what was a crowded recruitment for Russell.

For SMU, losing Russell stings. The starting quarterback at Duncanville High School (Duncanville, Texas), Russell played in SMU’s backyard. Duncanville finished sixth last season in the USA TODAY HSS Super 25.

Last year, Russell completed 74.1 percent of his passes for 3,267 yards. He had 35 touchdowns and three interceptions.

 

With the commitment of Russell, the Crimson Tide now have nine commitments. They now have the eighth-best recruiting class in the nation in the 247Sports rankings.

[lawrence-related id=101524094,101524086,101524089]

Alabama flips commitment from SMU commit, 2025 4-star QB Keelon Russell

Alabama made a splash on the recruiting landscape on Tuesday. The Crimson Tide flipped the commitment of 2025 four-star quarterback Keelon Russell.

The Alabama Crimson Tide have flipped the commitment of 2025 four-star quarterback Keelon Russell. Russell had been commited to SMU since September.

Russell is one of the top-ranked quarterbacks in the 2025 recruiting class. He is a dual-threat quarterback that excels at making plays with his legs and arm. Russell plays for one of the most prestigious high school football programs in the country in Duncanville High School.

During his junior season, Russell passed for 3,267 yards and 35 touchdowns. In addition, he rushed for 304 yards and four touchdowns.

Russell possesses the necessary traits to have success at the next level. His ability to break down opposing defenses is second to none. Alabama fans should be excited to have Russell on board for the 2025 recruiting class.

Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow the latest regarding the Alabama football program and its efforts on the recruiting trail.

The Athletic evaluates Florida’s 2025 class heading into official visits

This is a BIG month for the Orange and Blue on the college football recruiting front.

The next four weeks are big ones for Florida football as [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] and Co. roll out the red carpet for official visits to the Swamp by members of the 2025 cycle. The Gators are set to host some of the top talent in the nation in hopes of bolstering a lagging recruiting class heading into summer.

The Orange and Blue currently rank No. 45 in 247Sports’ 2025 team recruiting rankings but will have plenty of opportunities to climb up quickly if the program can impress the right players. The Athletic’s Manny Navarro recently looked at what’s cooking in Gainesville and sees a lot of potential in Florida’s possibilities.

“Billy Napier had the No. 3 recruiting class in the last cycle until his team lost five straight games to finish 5-7 and, in the process, lost several big-time commitments,” Navarro reflected on the previous class.

“The Gators did hold onto five-star quarterback [autotag]DJ Lagway[/autotag] and two high-profile in-state prospects โ€” five-star defensive lineman [autotag]LJ McCray[/autotag] and four-star linebacker [autotag]Myles Graham[/autotag] โ€” to finish with the No. 13 class in the 2024 cycle.”

Five intriguing visitors

“Florida is the mix for some elite prospects in the Class of 2025.”

Navarro lists wide [autotag]Caleb Cunningham[/autotag] (five-star, No. 13), linebacker [autotag]Tavion Wallace[/autotag] (four-star, No. 52), quarterback [autotag]Keelon Russell[/autotag] (four-star, No. 79), offensive tackle [autotag]Micah DeBose[/autotag] (four-star, No. 82) and quarterback [autotag]Antwann Hill[/autotag] (four-star, No. 127) as Florida’s five most intriguing visitors this summer.

Official visit schedule

“Cunningham, a Mississippi native who is ranked as the No. 2 receiver in the class, has been on campus twice and will return June 7,” Navarro begins.

“He also has visits lined up to Auburn (Friday), Tennessee (June 14) and Alabama (June 21). With Lagway part of Floridaโ€™s 2024 signing class, quarterback might not seem to be a huge position of need, but the Gators are still looking to land a good one and have Russell, an SMU commitment from Texas, and Hill, a Georgia native, on the docket for visits on back-to-back weekends.”

Follow usย @GatorsWireย on X, formerly known as Twitter, and like our page onย Facebookย to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

4-star QB Keelon Russell schedules official visit to Oregon Ducks

The Oregon Ducks are expecting to get 4-star QB Keelon Russell to Eugene on an official visit later this summer.

The Oregon Ducks already have one of the top quarterback prospects in the 2025 recruiting class in the fold with legacy player Akili Smith Jr. committed since last year, but they’re working to bolster the position and add another passer as well.

One of the primary targets is Duncanville HS star Keelon Russell, a 4-star QB who is currently committed to the SMU Mustangs.

Russell is rated as the No. 38 overall player in the 2025 class, and the No. 6 QB. He is currently scheduled to take an official visit to Oregon on June 21st, joining teammate Dakorien Moore, a 5-star WR ranked as the No. 1 pass-catcher in the 2025 class.

This last week at the On3 Elite Series in Nashville, Russell has been spending time with Smith Jr., and he will be with him again later this month in Eugene.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]