COMMIT FLIP! It was reported by Hayes Fawcett on June 4 that 2025 4-Star QB Keelon Russell has flipped from the SMU Mustangs to the Alabama Crimson Tide.
Keelon Russell is 6’3”, 175 lb QB and is currently the QB7 and 39th overall recruit, according to 24/7 Sports. Russell is a big get for DeBoer and the Tide who unfortunately didn’t land a 2024 QB Commit after Julian Sayin flipped to Ohio State.
It sounds like Alabama’s first contact wasn’t made with Russell until late January, which was shortly after DoBoer and staff took over. The recruitment of Russell was headed by Coach Nick Sheridan. It sounds like Sheridan did everything the correct way too. He presented a plan to Russell, including his spot on the depth chart, and continued to keep in touch with him through the spring before the Tide officially offered him. According to Russell himself, “I’ve been in touch with them almost everyday since they began recruiting me. If not every day, then every week. They’ve been on me; really trying to get me there.”
It also sounds like DeBoer and Sheridan’s development of 2024 8th overall pick Michael Penix Jr, played a part. Everyone obviously knows DeBoer coached Penix as the Indiana OC/QB coach in 2019 before their time at Washington together. What some people don’t know is that Nick Sheridan played that same kind of role for Penix pre-Washington. Sheridan was Penix QB coach in 2018 when he was a freshman. Then he lost the QB coach job to DeBoer for one year before taking it over again. After DeBoer departed for Fresno State, Sheridan took over as the QB coach and OC. Fun fact, Sheridan was Indiana’s OC the COVID year when Penix was really good and Indiana almost picked off Ohio State and found their way into the CFP.
When Russell announced his flip to the Tide he said “Heisman Trophy=Roll Tide 🐘🐘”. Russell has high expectations for himself in Tuscaloosa and we suspect it’s Coach DeBoer and Coach Sheridan hyping him up through the process.
At the end of the day, Russell flipping to Alabama is big not just for himself but the Alabama program as a whole. However, his flip could have an even bigger impact on the Crimson Tide’s 2025 class. Don’t forget, in mid-May Russell’s Duncanville teammate and WR1 in the 2025 class Dakorien Moore decommitted from the LSU Tigers. We have a whole article covering his recruitment and where we think he’ll end up that you can read here.
In case you don’t want to read the whole thing, essentially we believe it’s going to come down to Oregon, Texas, and Ohio State, who were in his final schools when he committed to LSU. The commitment of Russell to Alabama could put a twist on Moore’s recruitment even though he said “he won’t consider any recruitment offers”. Russell wasn’t available at the time he said that though. Moore was Russell’s top receiving weapon in 2023 hauling in 65 passes for 1,303 yards, and 15 TDs. Just something to keep an eye on through the coming months.