Qua Russaw

Qua Russaw is a hybrid outside linebacker whose tools have always run ahead of his production. He came out of Carver High School in Montgomery as a five-star in the 247Sports Composite, rated the No. 7 edge rusher in the 2023 class, and signed with Alabama alongside high school teammate James Smith. His first real action came in 2024, about 400 defensive snaps that began as a rotation role and grew to 35 or more snaps a game late in the year. Chiefs Wire calls his explosiveness elite and says he plays with unusual power for his size. He fires into contact, uses natural leverage to stack bigger blockers, and sets a hard edge or knocks pulling linemen off course on gap runs. What sets him apart in this edge class is coverage: he drops into shallow and intermediate zones, gains depth fast and reads the quarterback's eyes to get into throwing lanes. The pass rush has not caught up. His plan is mostly a long-arm, a speed rush and speed-to-power, and Fanspeak's Dean Kindig notes he has one of the lowest rates of finishing his rushes in the class. A lean frame without elite length lets long linemen swallow him, so adding mass, hand counters and better ways to shed blocks will decide whether the upside turns into a starting role.