Kalen DeBoer is building the most absurd quarterback pipeline at Alabama

In 2026, the Alabama Crimson Tide will enter their third season under head coach Kalen DeBoer who took on the impossible task of being the head coach who follows Nick Saban. DeBoer's first season in Tuscaloosa looked worrisome as the fanbase was disappointed with missing the Playoff. Year 2 saw the Crimson Tide make the Playoffs, but with the way they lost to Florida State, Georgia, and Indiana, concerns still linger.

This spring, Kalen DeBoer was given a massive contract extension which will stop the fanbase from calling for his job anytime they lose. As Crimson Tide fans look at the positives of the DeBoer era, there's one clear upgrade from the Saban era that they can't ignore.

Kalen DeBoer has built an absurd quarterback pipeline

While Nick Saban constantly signed 5-star recruits, even he would struggle trying to replicate DeBoer's success in recruiting quarterbacks. Kalen DeBoer came to Alabama as one of the most respected offensive minds, and after sending Ty Simpson and Michael Penix Jr into the 1st round, as well as Jalen Milroe into the 2nd round, that success will only help his recruiting efforts.

Kalen DeBoer is in the middle of his 3rd recruiting cycle in Tuscaloosa, and what he's done with the quarterback position is special. Barring a flip or a major change in the recruiting rankings the rest of the cycle, Kalen DeBoer will sign his 3rd 5-star quarterback in 3 cycles.

Kalen DeBoer's first major win at Alabama came when he flipped Duncanville quarterback Keelon Russell away from SMU. While Keelon Russell was a 4-star at the time, he flew up the rankings with his dominance at the High School level becoming a 5-star recruit.

Ty Simpson is off to the NFL after being picked in the 1st round by the Rams, leaving behind a quarterback battle in Tuscaloosa. Based on how Keelon Russell looked this spring, the recruiting services weren't wrong, as he's likely the next star at Alabama.

After reeling in a quarterback as highly ranked as Keelon Russell, it could've been hard to land another highly sought after quarterback, given that their path to playing time would be blocked. Instead, Kalen DeBoer snagged Jett Thomalla, who was ranked as a 4-star at the time, but he climbed up the rankings, becoming a 5-star by the end of the cycle.

This weekend, Kalen DeBoer continued the recruiting tear by landing what could be his most exciting 5-star quarterback. Elijah Haven ranks as the Nation's top quarterback, and at 6-foot-5, and 220 pounds, he's an incredible physical talent. This past season, Haven's dual threat ability was on full display as he totaled 73 touchdowns.

While the defense may be not as good as it was under Nick Saban, and DeBoer isn't as good of a coach, there's more than enough reasons to be excited about Kalen DeBoer's future in Tuscaloosa. The best path toward winning National Championships is having the best quarterback in the country, and Kalen DeBoer is setting the Crimson Tide up to have that advantage.

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