Alabama safety Keon Sabb (No. 3) in spring practice for the Crimson Tide.
Photo comes via Alabama athletics
He has enough cache to pursue the National Football League Draft, but a veteran defensive back for the University of Alabama wanted one final season in college.
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Keon Sabb’s career started in the Big Ten at the University of Michigan.
The New Jersey native captured a College Football Playoff National Championship with the Wolverines in the 2023 season – posting 28 tackles, 0.5 tackles for loss, seven pass breakups, and two interceptions with one returned for a touchdown.
Alabama DB Keon Sabb (No. 3) tells why he feels he can win second national title at Alabama.
Sep 6, 2025; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Louisiana Monroe Warhawks quarterback Aidan Armenta (10) is tackled by Alabama Crimson Tide defensive back Keon Sabb (3) during the first quarter at Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Leong-Imagn Images
Keon Sabb’s career at Alabama
He came to the Crimson Tide in 2024 after 18 games – including four starts – at Michigan.Sabb had a lower-body injury that ended his first season in Tuscaloosa (Ala.) after seven games in 2024, yet he collected 39 tackles, four pass breakups, and two interceptions returned for touchdowns. He and Bray Hubbard shared the secondary together as safeties last season.
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Sabb amassed 54 total tackles, 2.5 stops for loss, a sack, three breakups, an interception, and a quarterback hurry.
The 6-foot-1, 208-pounder wants to show NFL teams he can play a full year healthy at Alabama, but another driving factor led to his decision to return to Alabama for a fifth year.
“Win a national championship,” Sabb said Monday in his media availability on the biggest reason why he came back to the Tide. “I won one already so I’m just trying to win my second now. We have the talent and stuff to do it so I am looking forward to it.”
Sabb believes this year’s team has the ‘dawgs’ on it to win a national title.
“At Alabama, you want guys that really compete,” he said. “I feel like through the transfer portal and through the young guys, I think we found it.”
This is music to the ears of Tide nation, but it needs to work on the field.
We will see how Alabama continues to progress this spring.
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Stephen M. Smith is a team writer forTouchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him onFacebookor “follow” him on Twitter, via@CoachingMSmith.
Stephen Smith is a 2015 graduate of the University of Alabama. He is a seasoned writer that has covered Alabama football for Touchdown Alabama Magazine since 2009. Smith has extensive knowledge within the program, which has made him among the most respected journalist in his field. Throughout his career, Smith has been featured on ESPN and several other marquee outlets as an analyst.