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Alabama Football adds star defensive back they hope to replace the now departed Caleb Downs
Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports

Alabama Football adds star defensive back they hope to replace the now departed Caleb Downs

Originally posted on A to Z Sports  |  By Travis May  |  Last updated 2/19/24

Alabama has found their Caleb Downs replacement in the form of Michigan transfer and star safety Keon Sabb.

Fully replacing all-conference safety Caleb Downs might seem impossible, but if the Crimson Tide were going to even come close they needed someone exactly like Keon Sabb.

Sabb is a dominant force in coverage who allowed an incredibly low 44.6 passer rating and a completion rate below 48% last year when targeted for Michigan. He wasn't the run stopping monster like Downs who racked up over 100 tackles in his first collegiate season, but Sabb wasn't asked to stay as close to the line of scrimmage as often as Downs last fall. Sabb did show great consistency and play strength when called upon, only missing three tackles on the year.

Since Sabb is still quite young and 2023 was his first season of significant action he still has three years of eligibility remaining, per Hayes Fawcett in the post below.

If everything pans out for Sabb he may not stick around for all three of those years, but just like Downs (would have had) he has plenty of eligibility to stay with Alabama if he so chooses.

Sabb will need to get used to a slightly more aggressive deployment at safety this season most likely. Alabama likely has him lining up in the slot and in the box at a higher rate than he did in 2023 for Michigan, but Sabb has all the necessary skills to make that slight transition.

If you want to see the new Crimson Tide safety in action making a handful of highlight plays to get you excited for the new signing check out the video below!

It may seem impossible to replace Caleb Downs, but if any transfer defensive back is up to the task it's likely Keon Sabb.

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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