Skip to main content
alabama logo

Kalen DeBoer discusses freshman QB Keelon Russell's potential, added weight after first spring practice

63571867_t466o7i5ncby:Blake Byler•about 10 hours•

blakebyler45

Keelon Russell
Keelon Russell during Alabama official visit

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Spring football began today for Alabama, the first of 15 practices leading up to the Crimson Tide’s A-Day game on April 12. It was the first day the team’s newcomers — both early enrollees and transfers — put on a helmet and officially took to the practice field, including highly-anticipated freshman quarterback Keelon Russell.

Russell was a 5-star recruit in the 2025 recruiting class and ranked as one of the top players in the entire country, coming in as the No. 2 overall recruit per the On3 Industry Rankings. Monday’s practice was the first chance for head coach Kalen DeBoer to see his prized recruit in a true practice setting.

Speaking with the media after practice, DeBoer was asked how Russell compares to other freshman quarterbacks he’s coached.

“He’s up there, he certainly is,” DeBoer said. “He’s got a long ways to go, I think that’s the way he looks at it. He’s excited about what this growth is gonna be, even in this spring. But his ceiling and what he accomplished through what you can see on the high school film, he’s a pretty elite quarterback coming in as a high school senior, current freshman for us.”

With the departure of last year’s starting quarterback Jalen Milroe to the NFL Draft, Russell will be one of three Alabama quarterbacks vying for the starting job in 2025. The other competitors include redshirt junior Ty Simpson, entering his fourth year in the program, and redshirt sophomore Austin Mack, who transferred in from Washington with DeBoer last offseason.

Russell has good size for a quarterback at 6-foot-3, and has already put on some weight since enrolling early at Alabama. He was listed at 175 pounds during his recruitment, but on the updated Crimson Tide roster for the spring he’s listed at 193 pounds, a 17-pound increase.

“I saw him last summer, and saw him in person for one game last fall. He’s in pads and all that for that time, too. He looks good right now, strong and moves around,” DeBoer said. “He’s a good all-around athlete. The weight program for him is certainly — any new guy is gonna be critical. It’s good to get that first phase under the belt, that’s why being an early enrollee is so important.

“Now, even through the spring, the reason we go every other day and not back-to-back ever is so we can get big days of lifting in. Really at minimum three times a week.”

Playing for Duncanville High School in Texas last season, Russell threw for over 4,100 yards and 55 touchdowns with only four interceptions on 69 percent completion. He added 321 yards and three touchdowns on the ground as well.

Not a member, Alabama fans? Join BOL today!

Have you subscribed to BamaOnLine.com yet? You can sign up for ONE MONTH of premium access to our Alabama coverage for just $11.99! Be able to read all of BOL’s premium articles and nuggets covering Alabama sports and recruiting and also join thousands of other Crimson Tide fans around the globe on the BOL Round Table message board! CLICK HERE!

You may also like