3 early breakout candidates for Alabama football during 2026 season

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3 early breakout candidates for Alabama football during 2026 season

The Alabama Crimson Tide will kickoff the 2026 campaign against East Carolina on Sept. 5, 2026.

The Tide will have a multitude of new faces on both sides of the football next season. Alabama lost a majority of the offensive line to both the transfer portal and NFL draft, as well as numerous skill players on offense.

As a result, the likes of star wide receiver Ryan Williams could quickly begin to thrive when the 2026 season kicks off, as Alabama has a number of skill players who could emerge with names such as Germie Bernard no longer in Tuscaloosa.

Here are three early breakout candidates for the Alabama Crimson Tide next season, along with a potential stat line prediction for each.

Cederian Morgan, Wide Receiver, Freshman

Morgan is a talented wide receiver that could quickly begin to thrive during his first season in Tuscaloosa. A former four-star recruit, Morgan was ranked as the No. 5 wide receiver and the No. 43 overall player from the class of 2026, per the 247Sports Composite rankings. The route runner had a multitude of offers prior to his commitment, as I predict Morgan to record 800+ yards and 7+ touchdowns during an elite freshman campaign.

Keelon Russell, Quarterback, Redshirt Freshman

July 30, 2025; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; Quarterback Keelon Russell drops back under the watch of offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb during the first practice session of the preseason for the Alabama Crimson Tide.

Russell was widely regarded as one of the top quarterback prospects from the 2025 class. The playmaker served as the Tide’s third string option last season, but Russell could quickly begin to thrive in 2026, should he earn the starting job over redshirt sophomore Austin Mack. The rising star has elite speed and accuracy, as Russell could be in prime position to record 3,300+ passing yards and 25+ touchdowns through the air with the starting job.

Ezavier “EJ” Crowell, Running Back, Freshman

EJ Crowell, of Jackson High School, is named Alabama’s Mr. Football during the ASWA Awards Banquet in Montgomery, Ala., on Tuesday January 21, 2026.

Crowell is an elite running back that could easily break out early on next season. The star playmaker was a highly sought after prospect prior to committing to Alabama, as Crowell had offers from a multitude of programs around the country. A five-star recruit from the class of 2026, per the 247Sports Composite rankings, Crowell won the coveted “Mr. Football” Award for his efforts at Jackson High School last season, as I believe the playmaker could record a surplus of 1,200 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns during his first season in the Tide’s backfield.

Alabama has numerous playmakers who could easily break out early next season, as the Tide will look to secure national championship No. 19 during the 2026 campaign.

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This article originally appeared on Roll Tide Wire: Keelon Russell among Alabama football 2026 breakout candidates

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