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...
Mississippi State Defense Could Decide How Long Alabama Stays Comfortable
The buildup around Alabama and Mississippi State has centered on the quarterbacks, with Keelon Russell and Kamario Taylor drawing plenty of attention ahead of this weekends meeting. Analyst Josh Pate even called it a matchup that could rank among the biggest quarterback showdowns of the 2026 season, and Russell has already started to look more settled after a slow start, helped along by an Alabama offensive line that has given him a cleaner platform to work from.
Mississippi State, though, has reason to believe the game wont be decided only by how the quarterbacks handle the moment. The Bulldogs defense has already piled up nine sacks this season, and that kind of pressure can change the feel of a game quickly if it starts getting home. For Mississippi State, the question is whether that pass rush can make Alabama uncomfortable early enough to keep the Tide from settling in on offense. [Read more 🡒]
Mississippi State Gets Its Biggest Jeff Lebby Test Yet Against Alabama
Mississippi State is getting the kind of stage that can say a lot about where the program is under Jeff Lebby, with No. 7 Alabama set to come to Starkville for a nationally televised game on Oct. 3, 2026. It is the sort of matchup that tends to sharpen every storyline around a coach still looking for his first signature win, especially with the Bulldogs trying to measure themselves against one of the sports standard-bearers.
Alabama enters as the favorite, according to ESPNs Football Power Index, and the buildup has already centered on how Mississippi State handles the setting as much as the opponent. Mississippi State coach Kalen DeBoer has talked about preparing for the game environment, which is part of the challenge here, because the Bulldogs will need more than just energy to make this one interesting. [Read more 🡒]
Mississippi State Fans Have A New SEC Quarterback Debate To Watch
Josh Pates latest SEC quarterback rankings gave Mississippi State fans a fresh talking point this week, and it starts at the top of the list with a familiar name in the state. Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss stayed No. 1 in Pates updated order on September 29, even after the Rebels recent loss, thanks to a strong early stretch that has him among the leagues most productive passers.
For Mississippi State, the more interesting part is what comes next. Kamario Taylor checked in at No. 2, ahead of Alabamas Keelon Russell, giving Bulldogs fans a reason to measure their own quarterback outlook against the rest of the conference and to wonder how long Taylor can keep climbing if he keeps producing. [Read more 🡒]