Winning championships was key reason elite safety chose Clemson

Sabb chose Clemson Saturday afternoon.

by David Hood - Senior Writer - Sun Jul 18 08:00:06 GMT-04:00 2021

Keon Sabb wants to win championships, something he feels like can happen his senior season at IMG. It’s also something he feels can happen at Clemson, and those are two reasons he chose to commit to Clemson Saturday afternoon.

Sabb, a 4-star athlete, made his college decision known on Saturday live on CBS Sports HQ. The 6-foot-2, 200-pounder from IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, chose the Tigers over a finalist group that included Michigan, Penn State, Texas A&M and Georgia.

Sabb is projected at safety who is listed by 247 as the No. 60 overall player and sixth-ranked athlete in the Class of 2022. He told TigerNet that it was important to make a decision before his senior season.

“It feels good. The recruiting process is long and it's strenuous,” Sabb said. “Now that it's over it feels good. I get to focus on sports and focus on my senior season and winning a national championship.”

Sabb said he felt like making a decision now gives him time to get locked in on his senior season and that elusive championship.

“It's really important. I didn't want to be half in and too locked into the recruiting process,” he said. “I wanted to be locked in and give this national championship 100 percent. That is a big thing for me. I've never won a championship in football in my high school career, a state championship or anything, and this is the way I want to finish my career.”

He also thinks that he can win a title with the Tigers.

"They're a national championship team. Coach Swinney built a really good relationship with me," Sabb said. "I had a really good time down there. We went down to his house and had a really good time. They made my family feel like at home. It’s a place where you know you will play for championships.”

Sabb broke down the final weeks of his recruiting.

“I have known that Clemson is my top school for a while. Up until recently, I was considering them and another school and then Clemson ended up on top,” Sabb said, before adding that a final visit helped seal the deal. “It helped a lot. I got to see everybody in person and talk to everybody and that really helped a lot. This week is when I really finalized it.”

Where does he feel like he fits into Brent Venables’ defensive scheme?

“I feel like I am an Isaiah Simmons. I am a safety-linebacker type and that is how I feel like I fit in,” he said. “I can come up and play the run and I can drop back in coverage and play the pass.”

Sabb was joined by IMG teammate and 4-star corner Daylen Everette, who committed to the Tigers an hour later.

“We talked a while ago and said that when we decide, even if it wasn't to the same place, we would do it on the same day. We would celebrate it together,” Sabb said. “Wherever I go and wherever my teammates go I feel like we are going to be the best.”