Scouting Reports
Keon Sabb NFL Draft Scouting Report
Keon Sabb, SAF, Alabama
Size:
Height: 6’1” | Weight: 206 pounds
Accomplishments:
Four-star Recruit
Impact Statement:
“Keon Sabb is a long, physical safety who is a capable and willing tackler who has experience in games at the highest level.”
Strengths:
Length
Willing and capable tackler
Physicality
Good feel in zone coverage
Concerns:
Plays with high pad level
Top-end speed
Lacks urgency/high motor
Man coverage
Film Analysis:
Keon Sabb is a redshirt sophomore draft prospect who saw action in 18 games during his time at Michigan, contributing four starts, including a start in the national championship game before transferring to Alabama. During the 2023 season at Michigan, Sabb was credited with 28 tackles including a career-high (at the time) six in the National Championship. Following the transfer to Alabama, Sabb started the first seven games for the Tide before a broken foot sidelined him. Sabb is usually found playing as the free safety in Alabama’s predominantly 1-high defense or as the weak safety covering the tight end.
One of the most obvious strengths of Sabb is his length. Standing at 6-foot-1, he plays even longer than that. He excels at using his length to affect both receivers and the quarterback. Sabb has had multiple pass deflections at the line of scrimmage as a blitzer. Sabb also uses his length well to consistently re-route receivers and affect the timing between the route and the quarterback. While in zone coverage, Sabb not only uses his length to affect receivers, but he also has a natural feel for getting in throwing windows as an underneath defender in zone coverage.
Sabb has proven to be a very physical tackler both in the box and coming out of the post to make hits on receivers. He is a consistent tackler and has produced many physical hits throughout his career. Sabb has a natural feel for avoiding blockers, including slipping offensive linemen multiple times to blow up screen plays. He uses this feel to his advantage on blockers that are bigger and stronger than him. Sabb uses his length and physicality to his advantage when taking on blocks on the perimeter, locking out and controlling the blocks of smaller receivers.
There are multiple areas of concern for Sabb as he looks to take the step to the NFL. One area of concern that leads to other inefficiencies is how high his pad level is at all times. Sabb consistently plays high which directly affects his change of direction, causing him to have to change pad levels to get in and out of breaks or round off his break points. The majority of his missed tackles can be attributed to him playing high as well. When he misses, it is typically because he attempted to hit more powerful or shiftier runners high and they were able to shrug him off.
He also seems to play with a lack of urgency/low motor when getting to the ball. This is the main reason why he is often playing high and standing straight up. Sabb does not show great top-end speed, in particular when coming out of the deep post. He shows some good flashes in man coverage using his physicality, but he gets caught with bad eyes and has shown to be susceptible to double moves. He also can get very handsy in man coverage, typically getting away with it at the college level, but must minimize his holding to be successful at the next level.
Overall, Sabb would enter the NFL as a lengthy secondary player who tackles at a high level. He projects as a backup with upside that has developmental traits.
Prospect Projection: Day 3 — Developmental Traits
Exposures: Wisconsin (2024), Georgia (2024), South Carolina (2024), Washington (2023)