SABB BRINGS EXPERIENCE AND LEADERSHIP TO LOADED ALABAMA DB ROOM

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. --No. 13 Alabama is heading into the 2026 college football season with one of the most experienced secondaries in the nation.

One of the most experienced players in the defensive back room is safety Keon Sabb, who helped Michigan take down the Crimson Tide in the Rose Bowl back in 2023, en route to a national championship. Sabb was a consensus four-star recruit in the 2022 class.

Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer spoke extremely highly of Sabb, saying how good of a teammate he is.

“I love consistency,” Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer said of Sabb. “I just think that that is one of the words that applies to Keon and that I love about him. He's been consistent from day one. You know what you're going to get from him. Just these intellectuals out there on the football field. He's processing things, everything that happens, not just between snap and whistle. But he's taking it all in; he's always getting better.”

Sabb made an immediate impact in his first game with the Crimson Tide back in 2024 with a pair of interceptions against Western Kentucky in Week 1. But unfortunately is 2024 campaign was cut short due to a broken foot suffered in Week 8 in a 24-17 loss to Tennessee in Knoxville.

“I'm really proud of Keon and the work that he's put in,” Alabama defensive coordinator Kane Wommack said of Sabb. “Here's a guy that transferred to us in the winter of 2024, right when we got here. Obviously filled a significant role for us. Had two interceptions in his very first game, putting on that Crimson Tide helmet. And then kinda got banged up pretty quickly as the season went on. And that, in large part, was because of a lack of depth that we had. We got to the Tennessee game, and we had only played six players on defense in the secondary for five defensive positions.”

In eight games in 2024, Sabb had two picks and four pass breakups, the came back in 2025 and had a crucial interception back in Week 7 against Missouri, as the Crimson Tide just barely held on with a 27-24 win. According to Pro Football Focus, Sabb graded out very nicely in 2025 with a defensive grade of 81.2%, a tackle grade of 81.1%, and a coverage grade of 83.7.

Many Crimson Tide fans expected Sabb to forgo his final year of college eligibility and declare for the 2026 NFL Draft, so his return is a welcome sight for an already loaded secondary.

“He has done such a great job this offseason of getting his body in position to go compete at a really high level,” Wommack said of Sabb. “And so I have just watched this young man; he's grown fundamentally, he's growing physically. His maturity and the way he carries himself has been really impressive, and he's. He's aged like a fine wine.”

Crimson Tide fans can see Sabb and the rest of the team live in action against East Carolina University Saturday morning at Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium at 11 a.m. CT, and the game will be streamed on ABC.