Alabama keeps pretending it has a quarterback competition. One NFL scout isn’t buying it. With the opener against ECU less than three weeks away, Kalen DeBoer still won’t name Austin Mack or Keelon Russell as QB1. Yet after watching one preseason practice, the scout reportedly had a clear choice. If he’s right, Alabama isn’t searching for its starter anymore. DeBoer is simply refusing to say the same out loud.

“Russell was better than Mack and it was ‘not even close,'” said the NFL scout to AL.com, as reported by Top Tier Alabama on August 13.

Even ON3’s Pete Nakos echoed this sentiment, stating, “Sources who watched Thursday’s scrimmage said both quarterbacks had strong moments, but it was the former five-star recruit Russell who was making plays.”

Mack recovered from a slow start and earned praise after throwing three touchdowns against one interception. But Russell was the quarterback who actually looked different. One observer, who wasn’t even leaning toward Russell beforehand, said the redshirt freshman entering 2026 simply had the “it” factor.

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Russell’s practice numbers were hardly dominant, with one touchdown to Ryan Coleman-Williams and one turnover. But the box score may be missing the point. He already showed his dual-threat ceiling in Alabama’s spring game with 240 passing yards and four touchdowns, while also extending several plays with his legs.ESPN’s Paul Finebaum believes that explosiveness could be exactly what Alabama needs after its ugly 2025 offensive struggles.

If the Tide wants a safe quarterback, Mack may fit. If it wants to stop being predictable, Russell is the gamble DeBoer may have to take.

“He’ll [Keelon Russell] take the pressure off what was a pretty anemic offensive line last year,” said Finebaum.

In fact, the Tide TE Marshall Pritchett called the sophomore QB a “dynamite in a bottle” because of Russell’s arm strength. And this season, he is expected to come with stronger throwing ability after including boxing in his offseason routine.

Still, writing off Mack would be reckless. The redshirt junior followed Kalen DeBoer from Washington and has already been thrown into a pressure situation Alabama could face again. When Ty Simpson went down in the Rose Bowl, Mack took over in the third quarter and completed 11 of 16 passes for 103 yards.

Yet, former Alabama QB Greg McElroy thinks, “People don’t necessarily understand exactly how talented Austin Mack is, too.” He even called Mack’s talent “gifted,” considering the QB’s size and gameplay.

Round 2 of the Austin Mack vs. Keelon Russell fight did not suddenly erupt in August. It has been building through spring, summer and now fall camp, with Russell steadily turning what once looked like Mack’s experience-driven job to lose into a genuine quarterback controversy. The spring game was the first warning shot.

Russell carved up Alabama’s defense for 240 yards and four touchdowns while Mack, limited by injury, went just 6-of-12 for 101 yards with a touchdown and an interception. By SEC Media Days, Kalen DeBoer was still refusing to separate them, calling it a “tough decision” and insisting both were “high level elite quarterbacks.” Now, after months of evaluation, Alabama is back in the same place, except Russell’s case has only gotten louder.

The former five-star has gone from talented backup to a player teammates say makes the offense feel like a “video game,” while DeBoer continues to preach “poise” and efficiency as the deciding factors. This battle did not begin in fall camp. August is simply where a months-long fight has become impossible to ignore.

The former five-star has gone from backup to the quarterback teammates say makes Alabama’s offense look like a “video game.” DeBoer can keep preaching poise and efficiency, but this fight is no longer theoretical.

“Literally, it just feels like you’re playing a video game when he is in.” Ryan Coleman-Williams on Russell.

While both the QBs have separate strengths to boost Alabama’s offensive game, one observer, who attended Thursday’s practice, summarized the QB debate best, saying, “Mack looked ‘good,’ but Russell looked ‘great.'”

Who will take the Alabama QB1 role?

If college experience is the tiebreaker, Austin Mack has the edge. He threw for 228 yards and two touchdowns last season, while Keelon Russell appeared in only two games. But Russell’s limited numbers still hinted at something Mack cannot match as easily.

Both quarterbacks improved this offseason, and Kalen DeBoer insists each is “capable” of winning the job. Though Alabama has already wrapped up its first half of fall camp, DeBoer and Co. are still not close to declaring the program’s starting QB for this season.

“As the scrimmage went on, they both got better. Both had their moments early where they could have executed better. They could use some help from some guys once in a while; they’re not going to be perfect all the time,” said DeBoer when asked about the QB battle, as reported by Tuscaloosa Thread.

“The challenge to them now would just be starting faster every single time we have these game-like scrimmages and practices, coming out and setting the tone themselves.”

Now, let’s see seniority or dual-threat ability, which has the ultimate power to win Alabama’s 2026 QB1 role. Regardless of who wins, DeBoer said it will be a “tough” decision.