5-star quarterback Keelon Russell signs with Alabama football and talks about the Heisman Trophy

The award-winning recruit in Alabama’s 2025 football recruiting class is 5-star QB Keelon Russell from Duncanville, Texas. According to the 247 composite rankings, Russell is the No. 2 prospect in the country.

Russell committed to SMU but transferred to Alabama in June before the start of his senior season of high school. Russell had a brilliant final high school season with over 5,000 passing yards and 52 touchdowns to just two interceptions at the highest level of Texas high school football.

Russell has had a meteoric rise up the recruiting rankings. He was a 4-star prospect when he committed to Alabama and has since developed into a 5-star player by all accounts. His hiring should further demonstrate that Kalen DeBoer and his staff are good judges of talent.

Russell won the Elite 11 competition over the summer, which accelerated his rise in the rankings. In an interview with 247 Sports after officially announcing his signing, Russell talked about the award he has his eye on next:

Russell has the talent to make an immediate push for the quarterback job in Tuscaloosa. It’s not controversial to say he’ll be the most talented quarterback in the room once he steps on campus.

Freshman WR Ryan Williams was seen live with Russell on IG during his contract signing. That alone should tell you how highly Russell is regarded by the players and coaches at Alabama.

Alabama has four Heisman winners in its history, but only one quarterback. It’s always risky starting a rookie at QB, but the 2016 team did well with Jalen Hurts, and in 2017 a rookie, Tua Tagovailoa, came off the bench and led the Crimson Tide to a win in 2017 after a deficit over Georgia the national championship.