When rival Auburn begged the four-star commit from Alabama to flip, he left them on read.
Keelon Russell, a four-star passer, was recently added by the Alabama Crimson Tide to their 2025 recruiting class. The signal caller, who had previously committed to SMU, broke his word to join a strong Tuscaloosa team.
That choice was welcome news to Kalen DeBoer, as ESPN presently ranks Russell as the nation’s best passer. However, Alabama wasn’t the only school vying for his talents.
At first, the native of Lone Star State pledged to play for Southern Methodist in Dallas. The September of 2023 saw the return of that promise.
Alabama made an offer in April of the following year, and a few weeks later there was an official visit. In early June, Russell formally announced his departure from the Mustangs and joined the Crimson Tide.
Russell’s abilities seem to have impressed DeBoer since he replaced Nick Saban earlier this year. The passer claims that when he was given the new position in T-Town, the coach had him as his main goal.
“They believed in me from the beginning, Kalen DeBoer and them,” he remarked in an On3 Sports interview. Since January, they have exclusively hired me as a quarterback. “You’re going to be the leader of our team,” said Kalen DeBoer to me over the phone. You will take center stage. You will serve as our team’s legs, eyes, and heart.
Unlike other suitors, he was a priority, which is why he choose Alabama.
After reading Auburn, Keelon Russell departed!
The Tigers and Hugh Freeze were also actively involved in the attempt to remove their rival’s primary goal from its grip. Russell claims he didn’t pay attention.
Rejecting the entreaties, Russell stuck to the Crimson Tide.
That might have been because USC-committed five-star quarterback JuJu Lewis is being pursued by Auburn as well. Or perhaps he was just able to connect with the Alabama staff more easily.
In any event, the Tide gained bragging rights in the recruiting war when the Tigers’ messages were left on read.
