Kalen DeBoer’s dream 5-star QB target predicted to land with SEC rival

In his first full recruiting class at Alabama, Kalen DeBoer took on just about every powerhouse program in the country to land a commitment from five-star Keelon Russell, the No. 2 QB in the class. Now, after landing two four-star QBs in the 2026 class, he appeared to be taking another big swing for 2027 with his pursuit of Elijah Haven. 

Haven is the No. 1 QB in the 2027 class and the No. 26 overall recruit according to 247Sports Composite Rankings. He’s been impressed by the coaching staff in Tuscaloosa and the track record of QB development that DeBoer boasts, but it doesn’t appear that DeBoer, Ryan Grubb, and Nick Sheridan were enough to land an early commitment heading into his junior season.

The 6-foot-5 passer is a Baton Rouge, Louisiana native, but it’s not the LSU Tigers that are trending towards a commitment. On Monday, Steve Wiltfong and Sam Spiegelman of On3 both predicted Haven to commit to the Florida Gators. 

Billy Napier’s hot seat status could thrust Elijah Haven back onto the market

If Billy Napier does land Haven, it wouldn’t be the first time he’s brought the No. 1 overall QB to Gainesville. DJ Lagway impressed last season as a true freshman, and his bright future, coupled with an 8-5 record, helped Napier to stave off calls for his job after back-to-back losing years to begin his tenure at Florida. 

Now, the Gators are loaded with talent and entering the season as a College Football Playoff dark horse, but the combination of high expectations and one of the most difficult schedules in the country is the perfect recipe for hot seat talk to ramp back up. 

If Napier doesn’t turn the Gators into an SEC contender with Lagway this year, then Haven’s commitment wouldn’t save his job. And if Florida moves on from Napier, either after this season or midway through next, that instability could thrust Haven back onto the open market and into DeBoer’s crosshairs. 

DeBoer and general manager Courtney Morgan like to go big-game hunting in the QB market, but beyond Haven, many of the top passers in the 2027 class have already committed. Jayce Johnson is committed to Texas A&M, Trae Taylor is locked in with Nebraska, and Peter Bourque just committed to Michigan on Monday. That leaves Haven and No. 2 QB Kavian Bryant, but Steve Sarkisian is in hot pursuit of the Palestine, Texas, product. 

If Alabama does miss out on Haven, DeBoer will likely pivot to in-state four-stars Gunner Rivers and Trent Seaborn. 

Haven is the dream QB for Alabama and plenty of other SEC powers. This prediction dims hopes of the Tide landing him, but it doesn’t extinguish them. The volatility of Florida could allow Alabama to gain ground.