"The mindset is going to shift gears and win national championships" Five-star QB signee Keelon Russell sets lofty aspirations for Alabama career

Five-star quarterback signee Keelon Russell has emerged as a key figure in Alabama' 2025 class. During the Under Armour All-American Bowl Check-In, Russell candidly expressed his ambitions when questioned about vying for the starting quarterback position.

"Getting the starting position at any means," Russell said. "The mindset is going to shift gears and win national championships, get accolades and that's the mindset."

Russell is the highest-rated player in the Crimson Tide’s 2025 class, who flipped his commitment from SMU to Alabama in June before officially signing on Dec. 4. Now, the signal-caller is gearing up for early enrollment in Tuscaloosa, where he will compete in the highly competitive Southeastern Conference.

"We signed with Alabama, ready to get out there as well, ready to compete, ready to take some spots, you know what I mean? Ready to get to the SEC, ready to win national championships. I'm ready to do everything, let's do it," Russell said.

The 2025 Gatorade National Football Player of the Year, Russell is ranked as a five-star recruit by all major recruiting outlets. During his senior season, he threw for 4,177 yards with a 69.4% completion rate and 55 touchdowns.

Keelon Russell leads Team Icon in Under Armour Next All-America Game

Standout quarterback Keelon Russell is ready to lead Team Icon as their captain in the Under Armour Next All-America Game. The event is taking place on Jan. 2 at DeLand's Spec Martin Stadium.

"Hey, man, we at the U.A. All-American game, ready to compete, ready to get out there, throw the ball, dot them up," Russell said.

Joining Russell on Team Icon are two five-star offensive standouts from the 2025 class: quarterback Julian Lewis (Colorado signee) and wide receiver Dakorien Moore (Oregon signee). The squad also features promising talents like defensive lineman Bryce Davis, running back Akylin Dear, defensive back Tae Harris, linebacker Tyler Lockhart and wide receiver Anthony Rogers, among others.

Team Icon will face a big challenge in Team Unstoppable, whose roster features five-star cornerbacks Na’eem Offord (Oregon signee) and Blake Woodby (Auburn signee), alongside five-star offensive tackle Jackson Cantwell and four-star edge rusher Zion Elee (Maryland commit).