On Wednesday, 5-star QB Keelon Russell put pen to paper and officially signed with the Alabama Crimson Tide. On Friday, he was named one of three finalists for the Gatorade National Football Player of the Year Award.
No player did more to improve his stock during his senior season of high school than Russell. He was a 3-star recruit in the summer when he flipped his commitment from SMU to Alabama. Following that, he was the MVP of the Elite 11 competition and then had a ridiculous senior season at Duncanville High School in Texas. He's thrown for 3600 yards with 52 touchdowns and only two interceptions.
At the end of the recruiting cycle, Russell was a 5-star and the No. 2 overall player in the country behind only Michigan signee Bryce Underwood.
Russell is the Gatorade Player of the Year in the state of Texas, the first ever from his high school.
This is the 40th year Gatorade has handed out Player of the Year awards. If Russell was to win the award, he would be the first Alabam commitment/signee to take it home. In the illustrious history of the award, future NFL Hall-of-Famers like Emmitt Smith and Peyton Manning are former winners.
Joining Russell as finalists include Auburn signee and Elba, Alabama native Alvin Henderson as well as high school junior OT Jackson Cantwell from Nixa, Missouri, one of the top-ranked players in the 2026 recruiting class.
Florida freshman QB DJ Lagway was last year's winner and he made an immediate impact in Gainesville. Russell might do the same in Tuscaloosa as he figures to factor into Alabama's 2025 QB competition.