Alabama Crimson Tide freshman quarterback Keelon Russell has been on campus for almost a month and heads into the spring with a prestigious recruiting honor.
Last week, 247 Sports released its final rankings for the 2025 recruiting class, with Russell finishing as the top-ranked player in their composite rankings.
With a composite score of 0.9998, the Duncanville, TX native is now Alabama’s highest-ranked recruit ever. This distinction only adds to the growing anticipation surrounding Russell as he competes with returning quarterbacks Ty Simpson and Austin Mack for the starting position over the next few months.
The Gatorade National Football Player of the Year left a significant mark in high school, leading Duncanville to a state title as a junior and then throwing for over 4,000 yards and 55 touchdowns in his senior year.
The 247 composite score combines rankings from 247, ESPN, and Rivals to determine how a prospect is viewed across the industry. While 247 still ranks Russell No. 2 behind Michigan’s Bryce Underwood in its individual rankings, the composite score from other services places him at the top.
Russell’s ranking is especially impressive considering the list of elite prospects who’ve come to Tuscaloosa in the past, including Bryce Young (0.9994), Andre Smith (0.9994), Cyrus Kouandijo (0.9993), and Julio Jones (0.9992), all of whom went on to become All-Americans.
This bodes well for Russell and head coach Kalen DeBoer as they continue shaping the program. Only time will tell when Russell will get his chance on the field.
