Kalen DeBoer’s unlikely recruiting feat puts Alabama in awkward but enviable quarterback situation
Under Coach Kalen DeBoer, Alabama’s quarterback recruiting has reached new heights, creating a crowded and complex QB room that will pose significant challenges in the coming years. The Crimson Tide has secured commitments from elite prospects, including former five-star Keelon Russell (2025, Duncanville, Texas), four-star Jett Thomalla (Omaha–Millard South), and four-star Tayden Kawaa (Orem, Utah). […]
Under Coach Kalen DeBoer, Alabama’s quarterback recruiting has reached new heights, creating a crowded and complex QB room that will pose significant challenges in the coming years. The Crimson Tide has secured commitments from elite prospects, including former five-star Keelon Russell (2025, Duncanville, Texas), four-star Jett Thomalla (Omaha–Millard South), and four-star Tayden Kawaa (Orem, Utah).
Adding to this, Alabama recently landed a 2027 commitment from in-state standout Trent Seaborn and is favored to sign the nation’s No. 1 quarterback, Elijah Haven, per recruiting projections.
Seaborn, a highly touted prospect who led Thompson to an Alabama Class 7A state championship as an eighth grader and earned MaxPreps National Freshman of the Year honors, is one of only four quarterbacks offered by Alabama in the 2027 class. Meanwhile, Haven, a five-star talent from LSU’s backyard, brings additional star power, with his family showing strong interest in Alabama.
Alabama target Elijah Haven and Trent Seaborn for 2027 QB recruiting class
Seaborn’s commitment, solidified after a standout performance at a team 7-on-7 camp in Tuscaloosa, marks him as the first in-state quarterback offered by DeBoer’s staff.
This influx of elite talent creates a logjam in the quarterback room. Current starter Ty Simpson, a potential Heisman finalist, may depart for the NFL Draft, leaving transfer Austin Mack and Keelon Russell, a former five-star and Gatorade National Player of the Year, to compete for the starting role.
But Haven is a major looming presence as a five-star coming from out of LSU’s backyard. His father showed a lot of love to Alabama lately. While Kalen DeBoer can’t say no to anyone with that much talent, the Tide will all but surely lose most, if not all, of the bodies who don’t win the job in 2027 and 2028.
“We had a great visit!” Haven’s father, Kwame, said. “We were able to get to Tuscaloosa on Friday and tour the campus and spend more time with the coaches outside of game day. This extra time made it our best trip to Alabama thus far.
“Alabama is the standard in college football; they call it Title Town for a reason. Elijah would be very fortunate to play at a program like that for coaches as good as the guys on staff there. Elijah’s goal is to play in the NFL. There is no bigger stage than Alabama to get him ready to play on Sundays.”
