Alabama commit Keelon Russell is special and we take a close up look at Elite 11 MVP

The Alabama commit had a great three days at the Elite 11 Finals and we break down what he did so well all week long.

All he does is win,’ should be the mantra for Duncanville (Texas) quarterback Keelon Russell following his dominant week at the Elite 11 Finals, culminating in him being named MVP by the Elite 11/Student Sports Staff.

Russell is coming off back to back Texas 6A State Championships and has now added Elite 11 Finals MVP to his trophy case. Watching him all week, he was really special and it was really tough to find any discernible weaknesses in his game.

Alabama commit Keelon Russell wins Elite 11 Finals MVP

The four-star quarterback from Duncanville (Texas) was named the Elite 11 Finals MVP after a standout week in California.

MANHATTAN BEACH, Calif. — Alabama commit Keelon Russell has been crowned Elite 11 Finals MVP.

After a stellar performance across the three-day event, the four-star prospect from Duncanville (Texas) was the top performer among the 20 participants at Mira Costa High School, shining brightest in the 7-on-7 portion of the competition Thursday with five touchdowns. Russell also impressed in the initial workout Tuesday night and had a strong showing in the VICIS pro-day workout.

Russell flipped to the Crimson Tide from SMU earlier this month. He led Duncanville to a 14-1 record and its second-straight Texas 6A D-1 state title in 2023, completing 72 percent of his passes for 3,483 yards with 38 touchdowns and three interceptions.

Alabama also had the MVP last summer when then-commit Julian Sayin took home the honors. He transferred to Ohio State following the departure of coach Nick Saban. Tua Tagovailoa is another prominent Alabama product who was a former Elite 11 Finals MVP.

The most prestigious quarterback showcase in the circuit every summer, the Elite 11 Finals offer a glimpse into the next wave of stars. Out of the 32 NFL starters last season, 27 participated in either the finals or a regional event. Sixteen of the previous 17 Heisman Trophy winners competed in either the Elite 11 Finals or a regional, highlighted most recently by Bryce Young (2021), Caleb Williams (2022) and Jayden Daniels (2023).