Keelon Russell still has to win Alabama's QB competition, and make no mistake: Austin Mack is very much alive in the battle, and fall camp will produce a dogfight between the two. The competition could very well extend into the season at least through Week 1 vs. East Carolina.
The consensus among many is that Russell will ultimately win the job. His talent is undeniable, and his dual-threat ability could be key as Alabama breaks in a brand-new offensive line. Alabama's ceiling in 2026 would seemingly be higher with Russell under center.
That fact has at least one SEC Network host speaking in bold terms about Russell's ability and Alabama's outlook in 2026.
Dari Nowkhah recently joined SEC Mike on That SEC Podcast and made a bold prediction about Russell:
"Keelon Russell will start and be one of the three best QBs in the SEC by the time the season ends," Nowkhah said.
As a result of that, Nowkah said he believes Alabama will be in the mix for the SEC Championship Game and a spot in the College Football Playoff.
SEC Network host Dari Nowkah believes Keelon Russell will be elite at QB for Alabama
It's nice to hear a member of the national media have positive thoughts on Alabama's outlook for once this offseason. The majority of the talk around the Crimson Tide has been negative, in spite of the fact that Alabama won 11 games last season and won a road playoff game over Oklahoma.
That goodwill seemed to quickly evaporate thanks to the blowout loss to Indiana in the Rose Bowl. That's not entirely fair, considering Oregon has not received the same treatment. Dan Lanning's Ducks are frequently viewed as one of the teams to beat in 2026 despite the fact that they lost to Indiana in the College Football Playoff by one single point less than Alabama did.
That's what I mean when you see me writing about how badly the national media wants to bury Alabama football. The narrative is just so different than what other teams get. Nick Saban's dynastic run in Tuscaloosa has a lot of "unbiased" folks praying for the Crimson Tide's complete downfall.
DeBoer had his most significant roster overhaul this offseason. There aren't many Saban recruits left in Tuscaloosa. This is, for all intents and purposes, his roster now. It's built in his image. There are no more square pegs in round holes; DeBoer is moving forward with his guys and his system, for better or worse.
Russell is one of those guys. He's DeBoer's first high school QB recruit for the Crimson Tide. And he might hold the keys to Alabama becoming a legitimate contender this year.
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