Highly anticipated freshman quarterback is already giving Alabama optimism that they have a budding star on their hands

With a move to early enrollment, fewer players are becoming redshirt freshmen. Instead of waiting until June to get acclimated to college strength, conditioning, and nutrition programs, early enrollment allows players to get a six-month headstart, which is already paying dividends for Russell. 

"He's up there. He certainly is," added DeBoer when asked if Keelon Russell is among the best freshman QBs he's seen. "He's got a long ways to go because I think that's the way he looks at it. He's excited about what this growth's going to be, even during this spring. But his ceiling and what he accomplished through what you can see on the high school film, he's a pretty elite quarterback coming in as a high school senior,  current freshman for us."

Ty Simpson is confident that he will win the starting job, and he should be. Three years of experience a familiarity with Kalen DeBoer's scheme and Alabama's weapons gives him a leg up, but don't count Russell out just yet.