ALABAMA secured a major coup by landing four-star dual-threat quarterback Keelon Russell.
The high school phenom from Duncanville, Texas, had been committed to the SMU Mustangs since September.
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But he reversed his promise after making an official visit to Tuscaloosa the weekend of May 31.
Russell was also scheduled to visit Florida and Oregon later this month, but Alabama secured his services before those trips occurred.
Russell’s move represents a huge blow to new Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer.
Over the past two years, Russell has posted a 29-1 record and led Duncanville to back-to-back 6A D-1 Texas titles.
As a junior, he threw for 3,483 yards on a 71% completion rate, 38 touchdowns and just three interceptions.
He also rushed for over 300 yards with six touchdowns.
The 6-foot-2, 185-pound prospect is the 11th commitment — and the highest-rated prospect — in Alabama’s 2025 class.
“They defined my position on the depth chart – it’s something a quarterback dreams of,” Russell told ESPN.
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“I felt that if I took on the role, I could do incredible things at high levels.
“I’ve been in contact with them almost every day since they started recruiting me. If not every day, then every week.
“They’re after me; really trying to get me there.”
Alabama’s current quarterback depth includes returning starter Jalen Milroe, sophomore Ty Simpson and redshirt freshmen Dylan Longergan and Austin Mack.
Milroe is expected to head to the NFL after the 2024 season.
Russell developed an immediate connection with quarterbacks coach Nick Sheridan.
“Talking to my dad, talking to my mom, both telling me how different Bama treats you?” Russell told On3 Elite Series.
“When I got on a Zoom call with Coach (Nick) Sheridan, I saw a connection.
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“Seeing him break plays, seeing him break coverages, you can almost feel it.”
Russell is confident he will have a bright future in Tuscaloosa.
“I think I knew that [Alabama] could do some crazy things for me,” he said.
“I’ll get there and leave for sure.”
College Football Changing in 2024
The move of Oklahoma and Texas from the Big 12 to the SEC is one of the biggest changes in college football in recent memory.
And that set off a chain reaction that left the Pac-12 conference decimated.
The Pac-12 has lost 10 of its 12 members and is down to just Oregon and Washington states.
Four of those teams are headed to the Big 12 – Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah.
Four others go to the Big 10 – Oregon, UCLA, USC and Washington.
And the other two teams, California and Stanford, will participate in the ACC conference.
No team has left the SEC, Big Ten or ACC.
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
