Alabama slotted in surprising spot in CBS’ top 10 SEC QB rankings

Photo by Kent Gidley

Alabama will have one of the more closely monitored quarterback battles in the country this fall. Not only will it determine who the signal caller is come the season, but the performance of that player will be consequential for head coach Kalen DeBoer.

With no clear option in mind it doesn’t make it easy to evaluate an Austin Mack or Keelon Russell in regards to where they rank within the rest of the crop of SEC quarterbacks. But a new CBS list gave it it’s best crack to see where the Crimson Tide currently rank.

Surprisingly, CBS predicted that Russell would be the starter and did not attempt to rank Mack either. But perhaps more eye opening is that Russell is currently slotted No. 10 out of the possible 16 spots.

“The most important quarterback battle in college football heading into 2026 will unfold at Alabama,” Cody Nagel said in his piece about Russell. “Fourth-year junior Austin Mack is fighting to hold off Russell, the former five-star and No. 2 quarterback in the 2025 class, in a decision that could shape not just the Crimson Tide’s season but Kalen DeBoer’s trajectory in Tuscaloosa. Russell brings the highest upside in the room after throwing for more than 10,000 yards and 127 total touchdowns while compiling a 42-2 record as a high school starter. The tools are obvious. But the pressure is, too.”

Below is the full rankings of the SEC quarterbacks:

1. Arch Manning, Texas
2. Trinidad Chambliss, Ole Miss
3. Gunner Stockton, Georgia
4. Sam Leavitt, LSU
5. Byrum Brown, Auburn
6. LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina
7. Marcel Reed, Texas A&M
8. John Mateer, Oklahoma
9. Kenny Minchey, Kentucky
10. Keelon Russell, Alabama
11. Kamario Taylor, Missisippi State
12. Austin Simmons, Missouri
13. Aaron Philo, Florida
14. George Maclntyre, Tennessee
15. KJ Jackson, Arkansas
16. Jared Curtis, Vanderbilt

*Get the BEST Alabama football insider information, message board access, and recruiting coverage today! SIGN UP HERE to unlock our subscriber only content!*

Patrick Dowd is a Reporter for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can follow him on Twitter, via Pat_Dowd77