Keelon Russell may not be sitting at the top of the quarterback conversation yet, but the Alabama freshman is already being treated like a name to watch. The bigger question in Tuscaloosa this fall is simple: can he actually win the job and play at the level people expect? Kalen DeBoer will have to choose between Russell and Austin Mack in a few weeks, and The Athletic’s anonymous survey suggests Russell has the edge.
That survey, as shared by Parker Fleming of Dropback, placed Russell near the top of Tier 4, with 30 quarterbacks ranked ahead of him. The top two tiers are one thing.
The real argument starts in Tier 3, where Russell is being held back by uncertainty more than anything else. And if the early buzz is right, that ranking may not last long.
Here are five quarterbacks Russell should be ahead of before long.
Brad Jackson of Texas State is the clearest example of a ranking that feels off. GJ Kinne has built a reputation as a quarterback whisperer at the Group of Six level, but Texas State is walking into a new world this season as it leaves the Sun Belt for the revamped Pac-12.
That league now includes Boise State, Fresno State, and San Diego State, and the Bobcats are facing a much tougher climb. Jackson may end up as the starter, but he will need to be special for Texas State to make noise.
There are enough unknowns here that the Bobcats might not even reach bowl eligibility.
Malik Washington at Maryland is another player whose talent is easy to see, even if the setup around him is shaky. He may be the main reason to watch Terrapins football at all, and the source material makes it clear that Mike Locksley has put everything on Washington’s shoulders.
Washington is more talented than Taulia Tagovailoa, but whether he can match that kind of production is still an open question. Maryland looks more likely to finish near the bottom of the Big Ten than to take a real step forward, and if things go south quickly, Washington may choose to protect himself.
Austin Simmons at Missouri brings a different kind of uncertainty. He flashed real ability over the last two years at Ole Miss before losing the starting job to Trinidad Chambliss nearly a year ago and transferring to Missouri this offseason.
Eliah Drinkwitz has done a strong job with the Tigers, but Missouri remains one of those teams that is tough to pin down year after year. Simmons could change that in Columbia, though the receiving corps may not be strong enough to fully support him.
A lot also depends on the return of star running back Ahmad Hardy.
Mason Heintschel of Pitt is a case where the player is only part of the story. There is plenty to like about him, and he had moments last season that stood out.
But Pitt under Pat Narduzzi is still one of the hardest teams to forecast in the ACC. The Panthers can look like a contender one year and then slide below .500 the next.
Heintschel’s success may come down to whether Pitt can keep him upright, because if the offensive line fails him, he could become the latest quarterback to get swallowed up by the program’s volatility.
Conner Weigman at Houston is the final name on the list, and the concerns are familiar. He entered college with major hype as a blue-chip prospect at Texas A&M, but injuries and inconsistency kept him from taking hold in College Station.
After losing his job to Marcel Reed, he transferred to Houston and has looked better under Willie Fritz in the Big 12. Even so, there is still a lingering doubt about what happens when a play breaks down.
He has not shown enough as an improviser, and there is still a question about whether he can be the kind of steady presence Houston can trust when things get messy.
Russell may not have the résumé yet, but the gap between him and a few quarterbacks ranked above him should shrink fast. If he wins the Alabama job and plays like the talent people think he is, this conversation will look different in a hurry.
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