Analysts keep putting the cart before the horse with Keelon Russell and the Alabama QB competition.
Many have continued to speculate that Russell is going to win the Crimson Tide's starting QB job, mostly based on his and Austin Mack's performances during the Tide's A-Day scrimmage in the spring.
That feels premature.
Kalen DeBoer has effectively stated that he's nowhere close to naming a starter. Ryan Grubb has not dropped any hints like he did last year that made it obvious that Ty Simpson was well out in front. The competition remains open in Tuscaloosa, and both Russell and Mack will have their opportunity to earn the job.
All of that is true, but it's not stopping the Russell hype train from leaving the station.
CBS Sports' Brad Crawford recently penned an article listing six Heisman dark horses. Russell is right at the top of his list.
CBS Sports has Keelon Russell as the top Heisman Trophy dark horse for 2026
"If Russell wins the job and Alabama becomes a national title contender, he'll immediately enter the spotlight," Crawford writes. "Russell's ceiling might be the highest in the room, and if he gets enough opportunities to prove it, don't be surprised if his name surfaces in New York discussions by season's end."
To Crawford's credit, he makes sure to add the caveat of "if Russell wins the job" and doesn't treat it as a foregone conclusion. Doing so would be disrespectful to Mack, who is putting in the work to try and beat out the redshirt freshman wunderkind.
Mack entered the spring as the presumptive favorite due to his experience edge over Russell. He's entering his fourth season under DeBoer's tutelage, spending a year with him at Washington before joining him at Alabama. Mack was limited during A-Day, according to DeBoer, which aided in helping Russell shine with more opportunities.
That put Mack and Russell both in different positions heading into the summer and then fall camp. Russell had to adjust to life being the favorite without losing the hunger and drive. Mack had to adjust to being the underdog in the race, with added motivation to avoid being on the bench for his fourth collegiate season.
It's fair to believe that either Russell or Mack could be in the Heisman Trophy conversation if things come together for the Crimson Tide. They're both talented enough, and Alabama has plenty of skill-position talent. It'll come down to whether the offensive line and running game can alleviate the burden of the quarterback position.
The ceiling is high for the Alabama offense. But as has been the case the last two seasons, the floor is low and highly dependent on factors outside of either Russell's or Mack's control.
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