Alabama’s second scrimmage didn’t hand the Crimson Tide a full depth chart, but it did sharpen the picture in a few key spots. The biggest one is still quarterback, where the race between Keelon Russell and Austin Mack continues to draw attention as preseason work rolls on.
Head coach Kalen DeBoer stopped short of naming a front-runner, but the buzz around the position is starting to build. Pete Nakos and Chris Low of On3 are both expecting Russell to be tabbed as the starter before the season begins.
Nakos reported that Russell opened practice with the first-team and stood out in a positive way. Mack, by that account, also had a strong showing - Russell just looked like the one who had pulled away from the group.
That quarterback battle remains the headline, but it wasn’t the only thing that came out of the scrimmage.
Wide receiver Derek Meadows had what DeBoer described as a strong day, and the coach highlighted him after the session. “I thought today was a really good growth day for [Meadows], with competitive catches in particular,” DeBoer said.
“Using that big body to go up and make some plays. You're not going to catch them all - ball placement, the defender you're going against - but I like the way he's battling, and he's really growing."
There was also a wrinkle in the running back room involving true freshman EJ Crowell. Earlier this week, college football legend Aaron Taylor had been impressed with him, but Crowell did not take part in the scrimmage because he is still working back from an ankle injury. In Alabama’s scrimmage recap video, Crowell can be seen at the start wearing a walking boot and his #13 jersey.
Another back making noise is Trae’shawn Brown, who keeps building momentum. DeBoer had plenty to say about his progress.
“You just feel more and more comfortable with him out there,” DeBoer said. “Honestly, I felt pretty good about him as a ball carrier based on what we saw this spring… And you can see he’s a smart guy; it matters to him.
So, he’s definitely not noticeable in a bad way out there. He’s going out there and making plays and continuing to progress.”
Green, who is in his first season at Alabama after three years at Oregon, is expected to have a productive year. He was named to the Preseason All-SEC second team earlier in the offseason.
With a few weeks still left before Week 1, Alabama is still sorting things out. But after the second scrimmage, some of the players starting to separate themselves are becoming easier to spot. The quarterback race is still the central story, yet Russell is far from the only name generating buzz around the Crimson Tide.
In Other News...
Alabama Fans Will Have Strong Reactions To Keelon Russell's SEC Ranking
Bud Elliotts early look at the 2026 SEC quarterback race put Alabama fans in a familiar spot: plenty of hope, and probably a little debate. In his CBS Sports ranking, the college football analyst slotted Texas star Arch Manning at No. 1, then filled out the top five with Ole Misss Trinidad Chambliss, LSUs Sam Leavitt, Alabamas Keelon Russell and South Carolinas LaNorris Sellers.
For Alabama, the noteworthy part is not just Russell cracking the list, but where he landed in a conference that rarely leaves much room for error at quarterback. Elliott also weighed recent performance and future potential in making his selections, which only adds to the intrigue around Russell heading into next season. Crimson Tide fans have spent plenty of time waiting to see what the next quarterback era will look like, and this ranking is another reminder that the conversation around Russell is already starting to get serious. [Read more 🡒]
Former Alabama Player Just Won A Massive Case Tied To 2023 Shooting
A former Alabama basketball player has now won a major legal battle that reached far beyond the court. An Alabama jury ordered The New York Times to pay $9.25 million in damages to Kai Spears after finding the paper defamed him by wrongly reporting that he was at the scene of a fatal 2023 shooting, a claim Spears challenged in a lawsuit filed in 2023.
The nine-day trial ended with the jury siding with Spears, putting a sharp spotlight on how a mistaken report can follow an athlete long after his playing days. The Times had acknowledged the error in its original story and said it is reviewing its legal options after the verdict, leaving the case with another chapter still possible. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama Freshmen Are Forcing A Tough Secondary Question
Alabamas preseason camp has already brought a little extra buzz on defense, and a couple of freshmen are part of the reason why. Linebacker Xavier Griffin, the No. 1 linebacker in the 2026 class by 247Sports, has been drawing attention early, while defensive coordinator Kane Wommack has also singled out defensive back Jireh Edwards for the instincts and physicality he has shown since arriving in Tuscaloosa.
The bigger question may be how quickly the young defensive backs can force their way into a crowded mix. Griffin is expected to see the field, but he still has established competition in the safety room with Bray Hubbard and Keon Sabb, which gives Alabama a talent-heavy problem to sort through as camp unfolds. For a secondary that already has veteran options, the freshmen are making it harder to ignore the possibility that playing time could become a real battle before long. [Read more 🡒]