IN PIC: Alabama's Keelon Russell drops a wholesome picture with his Valentine

Alabama football commit Keelon Russell shared a heartfelt moment on Instagram, revealing that his Valentine this year was none other than his mother. The talented young quarterback, sporting Alabama gear, posted a touching tribute alongside his mom, highlighting their close bond and mutual pride.

Image via Ig@_pres1dentkee

Russell, a Duncanville, Texas native, has emerged as one of the most promising prospects in college football. His excellence has not gone unnoticed. Russell was named the Offensive Player of the Year on the Blue Bell/Texas Sports Writers Association’s Class 6A All-State Football Team.

He led Duncanville to back-to-back state championships in 2022 and 2023 and helped the Panthers reach the 5A Division I state semifinals. His senior season showcased his dominance on the field, as he threw for over 4,100 yards and an impressive 55 touchdowns against four interceptions.

Now settling in at Alabama, Russell was quickly introduced to significant changes within the program. Shortly after his arrival, Ryan Grubb was announced as the Crimson Tide’s new offensive coordinator following a brief stint with the Seattle Seahawks.

“As a quarterback, you’ve got to go watch his offensive coordinator skills and everything,” Russell On3. “I did my researches and everything, making sure that this guy is the man that I’ve been hearing. Man, when I tell you what he did with Michael Penix, it’s legendary. I’m excited. I kid you not, I’m excited."

Keelon Russell emphasizes profile building and NIL strategy ahead of Super Bowl LIX

Speaking with On3, Alabama commit Keelon Russell shared a key lesson he has learned — understanding the power of his brand. He believes that now athletes can focus entirely on excelling on the field.

“The best advice was to understand what’s coming towards you," he said. "Understand that your profile is your profile. Understand that your name is your name. Building that is the most successful thing that you can do, especially with how the NIL space is getting bigger."

Russell currently ranks No. 3 in high school football’s NIL rankings and holds the No. 35 spot in the On3 NIL 100, which tracks the top high school and college athletes based on On3 NIL Valuation.

In January, he signed his first NIL deal with Panini America after partnering with Team IFA for representation.

“They trusted me,” Russell told On3. “They were like, ‘Hey, man, we love you man. … And we want you to almost be the face of our brand.’ For them to come at me like that, for them to jump at me like that, I say the loyalty, the trust.

He is ranked as the No. 2 overall player in the nation and the top quarterback in Texas.