Story by
The Tuscaloosa News
What Jalen Milroe thinks of Alabama football 2025 quarterback Keelon Russell
- Story byThe Tuscaloosa News
- What Jalen Milroe thinks of Alabama football 2025 quarterback Keelon Russell
Jalen Milroe knows exactly what Keelon Russell will get with Alabama football .
Milroe's been there, remembering his recruiting process, committing and enrolling with Alabama in 2021 out of Tompkins High School in Katy, Texas .
Advertisement
And in Russell, the five-star quarterback out of Duncanville, Texas — 250 miles from where Alabama's current starting quarterback playing his high school football — Milroe sees a player with the opportunity "to be his absolute best at the University of Alabama."
"He's a really good player," Milroe said of Russell. "Really good player. Dynamic. He's a special cat. There's a reason why he's the number one quarterback in the state of Texas, in the country."
Russell, who was just named the 2024-25 Gatorade National Football Player of the Year, is the No. 2 quarterback and the No. 2 player in the 2025 recruiting class per 247Sports' composite rankings. He's also the top-rated prospect from Texas.
In two seasons as Duncanville High School's quarterback, Russell had 7,141 passing yards, 88 touchdowns and seven interceptions per MaxPreps .
Advertisement
He's someone Milroe said who will be coached by "the absolute best" in offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Nick Sheridan, and head coach Kalen DeBoer.
But Milroe also sees why Russell got Alabama's attention.
"Cool cat, man. Cool cat," Milroe said. "I enjoy being around him."
In the times Milroe has met with Russell, the Alabama starting quarterback said he's poured into the 2025 five-star, giving hi the opportunity to gain knowledge from a player who has been in his shoes.
It just so happens Russell grew up in the same state as Milroe.
"He's a Texas kid. I'm a Texas kid," Milroe said. "So to have another Texas guy in the building, it's going to be awesome."
Advertisement
Colin Gay covers Alabama football for The Tuscaloosa News, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at cgay@gannett.com or follow him @_ColinGay on X, formerly known as Twitter.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: What Jalen Milroe thinks of Alabama football 2025 QB Keelon Russell
