The future of the quarterback position in Tuscaloosa is clear. Ty Simpson is the presumptive starter for 2025, and beyond that, the job will be Keelon Russell’s. The 2025 five-star could begin to vie for playing time in his true freshman season, and with the plan at quarterback nearly set in stone for the Crimson Tide, recruiting a quarterback in the 2026 class has been no easy task for Kalen DeBoer.
With most of the top 2026 QBs already off the board, DeBoer has set his sights on two four-stars: Matt Ponatoski and Jett Thomalla, but with his latest offer, he added another name to the list of Alabama QB targets.
Alabama offers On300 2026 QB Tayden Kaawa who talks about the opportunity here: https://t.co/f5FiD5YsTD https://t.co/ywQ6iOhXVh
— Steve Wiltfong (@SWiltfong_) June 11, 2025
Kalen DeBoer extends offer to 4-star QB Tayden Kaawa
The 6-foot-4, 190-pound Honolulu, Hawaii, product has been a recent riser up the 2026 recruiting class rankings, collecting offers from Cal and Alabama this spring. He plays his high school football at Orem High School in Utah and, like Ponatoski, is considered an intriguing prospect on the baseball field as well. Mississippi State is the only other SEC program to have offered Kaawa, but more may follow after Alabama jumped in.
Though slight, Kaawa is a physically imposing presence in the backfield and eats up ground with his long strides as a runner. However, he much prefers to dissect defenses from the pocket, getting the ball out quickly and accurately, often attacking the seams with excellent anticipation. His arm talent is not off the charts, but like another Alabama quarterback from Hawaii, that can be overcome with high-level decision-making and anticipation.
Whichever quarterback Alabama ultimately lands in the 2026 class won’t have a clear path to playing time, stuck behind Russell in Tuscaloosa. Still, adding depth to the QB room is a top priority for DeBoer and offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb because as the job becomes Russell’s, Simpson and Austin Mack will likely head for the transfer portal to use their final seasons of eligibility somewhere they can win the starting job.
Kaawa could opt to join a Group of Five program with a quicker path to playing time or become a development piece at Alabama, sit behind Russell, and potentially take over the job once Russell heads for the NFL as early as the 2028 Draft. Convincing any QB to choose the latter path is one of the biggest challenges for DeBoer on the recruiting trail this offseason.