The first month of the season has already pushed Keelon Russell and Kamario Taylor into a different conversation, and Saturday’s noon matchup between Alabama and Mississippi State gives fans a direct look at two quarterbacks who are moving fast toward the 2028 NFL Draft discussion.
Both have gone from promising young starters to names that are showing up in scouting circles for all the right reasons. Earlier this week, when asked to rank the top quarterbacks from the class of 2025, two names came to mind immediately: Keelon Russell and Kamario Taylor.
Russell arrived with plenty of hype. He was a five-star recruit and the No. 2 overall player in the 2025 cycle, trailing only Michigan’s Bryce Underwood. After having to win a preseason camp battle, he has been sharp for Alabama and currently stands as the SEC’s highest-graded passer according to Pro Football Focus.
Taylor’s path looked different, but the results have been just as eye-catching. He was a four-star prospect and the No. 80 overall recruit in the Top247 for 2025.
He started two games late last season for Mississippi State and showed flashes, but this year has been a major step forward. Through the opening stretch, he ranks 11th nationally among qualifying quarterbacks in EPA per play.
What makes the rise of both quarterbacks stand out is how closely it matches the evaluations they carried out of high school. Their starts have come quickly, but not out of nowhere, and that’s why their futures look so promising.
In Other News...
Kalen DeBoers Starkville Travel Plan Says A Lot About Alabama Prep
Kalen DeBoers travel plan for Alabamas trip to Mississippi State says plenty about how the staff is handling this week. Rather than bus to Starkville on Friday and spend the night there, the Crimson Tide will remain in Tuscaloosa and leave Saturday morning, a setup DeBoer tied to past practice and the availability of the teams preferred accommodations at home.
It also gives a small window into the rhythm Alabama wants heading into the game. The team is set to depart early Saturday and begin practice at 9 a.m. CT, with players typically checking in at 6:45 a.m. CT, a schedule that keeps the focus on routine and preparation right up to kickoff. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama Faces An O-Line Concern Heading Into Mississippi State
The SECs new injury reporting policy is already putting a little more light on Alabamas health picture as the Crimson Tide head into its conference game against Mississippi State. This weeks report lists right tackle Jayvin James as questionable, a note that matters on a front line where availability can shape everything from protection to play-calling, while other names around the roster are trending toward being available.
Alabamas overall injury list still has some longer-term concerns attached to it, too, with Jeremiah Beaman and Cayden Jones among the players confirmed to miss the 2026 season because of injuries. For a team navigating the grind of SEC play, the immediate question is less about the long view and more about how the Tide lines up at a spot that can change the tone of a game before it even settles in. [Read more 🡒]
Nick Saban Just Took Another Hard Line In The Pay Fight
Nick Saban used a recent appearance on ESPNs First Take to weigh in on the Protect College Sports Act, and the longtime Alabama coach made clear he sees the issue of athlete compensation through a different lens than many of the sports most vocal advocates. The proposal is designed to boost pay for student-athletes while also protecting womens and Olympic sports, and it would add more structure around topics such as transfer rules, eligibility limits and agent fees.
Sabans argument was rooted in the idea that player pay and coach pay operate in separate markets, with him comparing a students scholarship to a professors salary as part of his broader case. The legislation also includes a retention fund for athlete compensation, which puts the debate squarely at the intersection of fairness, roster stability and the future shape of college sports, the same terrain Saban has been challenging for years. [Read more 🡒]