Replacing Nick Saban is no easy feat for new coach Kalen DeBoer. He’s losing key players to the NFL and needs to rebuild a strong roster. Thus, DeBoer is donning his recruiting hat and has already secured commitments from the 2025 and even 2026 classes. However, the quarterback position is a major question mark.

Jalen Milroe is their star for now, but he’ll likely enter the 2025 NFL Draft, and replacing him will be crucial. Many hoped for elite recruit Julian Lewis to fill his shoes as he’s considering Alabama, Georgia, Auburn, and Colorado Buffaloes. But, for now, Lewis seems more inclined toward Deion’s Colorado, leaving Alabama in doubt. He even made three official visits to Coach Prime’s football unit, raising the hopes of Buffs fans. However, DeBoer remains focused and is already looking for a new successor.

Kalen DeBoer eyes new signal caller from Duncanville

Instead of focusing on the 5-star QB Julian Lewis, Kalen DeBoer is trying to land 4-star QB Keelon Russell. In April, On3’s recruiting expert “placed an expert prediction for Alabama to land 4 [star]  QB Keelon Russell.” They were right on the money as Keelon Russell recently announced that he’s “excited to get out to Tuscaloosa Alabama May 31st – 2nd.”

Despite being committed to SMU since last September, Russell, the Duncanville QB, is rising on many programs’ recruiting boards. He even considered visiting Lane Kiffin’s Ole Miss, but Alabama’s persistence seems to be paying off. They’ve reportedly become the frontrunner for the SMU commit. Now, can this 4-star quarterback fill the shoes of Jalen Milroe? 

Can Keelon Russell become the Crimson Tide’s star quarterback?

Kalen DeBoer and his team seem to have found a strong candidate to replace Jalen Milroe at quarterback — Keelon Russell. This 6-foot-3 powerhouse is currently ranked the No. 8 quarterback nationally and the No. 1 prospect in Texas. That’s impressive on its own, but Russell boasts even more.

As a sophomore, he completed 72.1% of his passes, which could soar even higher with the right coaching. Recently, quarterback coach Brad Stanfield, who worked with Jalen Milroe, put Russell through his paces. He threw “a bunch of NFL stuff“ at the young quarterback, and Russell handled it easily, leaving everyone impressed. Coach Stanfield even went as far as saying Russell “can be better than Milroe.”

This high praise explains why DeBoer has set his sights on Russell. However, the signing day is still months away, and DeBoer’s team will aggressively try to secure Russell’s commitment. Till then, let’s hear your predictions in the comments below.