The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1451622
2022 FOOTBALL RECRUITING ISSUE BY CLAYTON SAYFIE Michigan was a constant in Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy four-star safety Keon Sabb's recruitment. He had been committed to Clemson for nearly six months when he visited Ann Arbor for the Wolverines' 42-27 victory over Ohio State on Nov. 27, 2021. He had great relationships with fellow New Jersey natives and U-M safeties Brad Hawkins and R.J. Moten, loved the coaching staff, and wanted to support the Maize and Blue in the biggest game of the year. Led by assistant coach Ron Bellamy, U-M never gave up on Sabb despite missing the cut on his top schools list before his pledge to the Tigers. Things got interesting when Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables left to take the head coaching job at Oklahoma just more than a week later. Sabb decided to decommit, and ul- timately chose U-M during the early signing period in December, citing "comfortability" and his bonds with the players and staff as huge factors. The Wolverines fended off late runs from Georgia and others to secure the na- tion's No. 89 overall player according to the On3 Consensus. An early enrollee, Sabb will have the chance to earn immediate playing time, with U-M having lost three of its four starting secondary players, including Hawkins. Sabb's trainer from New Jer- sey, Timothy Breaker, has no doubt he'll do everything he can in the weight room and practice to put himself in a solid position to see the field. "He's one of a kind," Breaker said of Sabb. "He's been like that since he was a kid. He's never complained about a workout. I've never had him miss a workout. He's always on time, and he's the hardest worker in every single group. "He's a very competitive kid. He likes to win. And he's very insightful — he likes to learn." Those qualities, along with his athlet- icism and football instincts, have made him into one of the country's top fresh- man defensive backs. "His body, with all the coaching going on that he's getting, the sky's the limit for him," Breaker said. "I would say his focus level is what makes him different. His level of maturity and just the will to learn at a young age is what makes him different." At 6-2, 200 pounds, Sabb is a ver- satile piece in the secondary. A safety by trade, he also has the ability to play nickel or be a big linebacker, and has seen time at cornerback in the past. "I'm fast enough to guard slot receiv- ers and big enough to guard the big- ger tight ends," Sabb said. "I can guard them and still can go deep middle." "He can literally do it all on the foot- ball field," Breaker added. "He's very wide, rangy, long arms, big-time clos- ing speed, but he's also 6-2. He can guard those tight ends, he can guard the slot, he can play nickel, he could also be over the top in the three deep and be able to close on a go route on the out- side. Also, he's a sure tackler. "He's just versatile, where you can do a lot with him. He can play corner, he loves safety and he also loves guarding man to man in the slot. He could guard 56 THE WOLVERINE MARCH 2022 Keon Sabb Is 'One Of A Kind' 2022 Projection Sabb is a big safety standing 6-2 and weighing 200 pounds, and matches up well with athletic tight ends and bigger receivers, making him a natural fit in the Big Ten. Could eventually move down into the box but may be better utilized as an en- forcer on the back end that can be used in every defensive package. Will likely contribute early on special teams and work his way into the rotation at defensive back through his freshman season. Sabb, a four-star safety from Glassboro, N.J., by way of Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy, is ranked as the nation's No. 89 overall player by On3 Consensus. PHOTO BY CHAD SIMMONS/ON3.COM