Alabama OC Ryan Grubb compares Keelon Russell to Heisman runner-up and current NFL QB
There’s a ton of excitement in Tuscaloosa surrounding true freshman QB Keelon Russell. The 5-star from Duncanville, Texas was the No. 2 overall player in the 247 composite rankings for the 2025 recruiting class. He has enrolled early and is competing for Alabama’s starting QB job against upperclassmen Ty Simpson and Austin Mack.
Meeting with the media on Wednesday, new Alabama offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb spoke glowingly about the freshman QB and made a comparison to a former Heisman runner-up and current NFL QB that should excite Crimson Tide fans:
Ryan Grubb said Keelon Russell’s vision reminds him of Michael Penix Jr.
— Nick Kelly (@_NickKelly) March 5, 2025
Grubb was Penix’s offensive coordinator for two years at Washington and got a first-hand look at the talented QB who went on to be the 8th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft and looks to be the franchise signal-caller for the Atlanta Falcons.
One of Penix’s biggest strengths has always been his ability to see the field, go through his progressions, and find the open receivers. Penix can obviously make all the throws, too. We know Russell is supremely talented; he’s probably the most talented QB on the roster already. But his ability to process information and read the field with things moving so much faster in college than they did in high school will likely determine how quickly he gets on the field.
Watch Alabama freshman QB Keelon Russell throw in crimson for the first time today: pic.twitter.com/c7gmvdOnjK
— Sidelines – Bama (@SSN_Alabama) March 4, 2025
There’s just an effortlessness to Russell’s throws that really stands out. Just a flick of the wrist and the ball explodes out of his hand.
Ryan Grubb had praise for all three Alabama QBs
Obviously, the praise for Russell stands out, but not to be outdone, both Ty Simpson and Austin Mack received praise from their new offensive coordinator on Wednesday.
Simpson is in the driver’s seat to be Alabama’s starter in 2025. According to Grubb, Simpson was the player who made the biggest jump from the first day of spring practice on Monday to day two on Wednesday. Getting better every day will be key as Simpson tries to hold the other two off.
On Mack, Grubb said he could tell that he had been working hard over the past year. Grubb recruited Mack to Washington and was his offensive coordinator during his redshirt year in 2023. Mack followed Kalen DeBoer to Tuscaloos and now gets to reunite with Grubb in a system he is intimately familiar with.
The QB battle is heating up at Alabama and all three players seem to be progressing nicely.
