Alabama, and the rest of football, has shifted away from the days of the dominant workhorse running backs. Aside from a few exceptions, most teams have a backfield committee to distribute the workload and construct an efficient running game. However, last season, Ashton Jeanty reminded college football just how fun it is to have a bell-cow back take over games.
Well, a top 2027 Alabama target is proving to be that kind of player, at least at the high school level. In his junior season debut, Quinterrius “Moonie” Gipson was unstoppable for Kell High School on Wednesday night, rushing for nearly 200 yards and two touchdowns on just 16 carries, along with another TD through the air.
A hat-trick for 4⭐️ RB @MoonieGipson as he and the @Kell_Football offense have been firing on all cylinders tonight .
— Max Wolborsky (@maxwolborsky) August 14, 2025
16 rushes, 194 yards and 2 TDS on the ground along with a 17-yard TD reception as he has been DOMINANT tonight. pic.twitter.com/4MloTfWLVu
Moonie Gipson could be a recruit on the rise after dominant start to junior season
Gipson is the No. 10 running back in the 2027 recruiting class, according to 247Sports Composite Rankings, and ranks just outside the top 100 overall. However, after his ridiculous performance to open his junior year, the 5-foot-10, 205-pound Marrietta, Georgia native could quickly rise through the recruiting rankings.
Gipson received an offer from Alabama in January and could be a top target for the Tide in the 2027 class. DeBoer is a notoriously slow starter on the recruiting trail and has only two commits in that class now, so a commitment might be a long way off. Still, Gipson is absolutely a player to watch for Alabama fans as he tears up Georgia high school football this fall.
Kalen DeBoer likely won’t have a Jeanty in Tuscaloosa anytime soon, but 2025 four-star AK Dear should find his way onto the field in relief of Jam Miller this season, and 2026 in-state five-star commit Ezavier Crowell projects to be a future star. For a head coach known for his quarterback development, DeBoer’s best teams have always run the ball well, and returning to a more traditional run game appears to be a priority for him and his staff now that Jalen Milroe is in the NFL.
Alabama isn’t the only program with its sights set on Gipson -- the talented young back 34 offers, including 10 from the SEC. Kirby Smart’s Bulldogs are one of them, and they should be a factor in Gipson’s recruitment, but with four of the top 15 running backs in the class hailing from the Peach State, DeBoer has a chance to pluck at least one from behind enemy lines.