Ranking Alabama football’s position groups ahead of 2026 season: Safeties

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We are about to enter the summer portion of the college football offseason, which means it is time to create intriguing series pieces for the University of Alabama program.

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The first series is ranking the strongest position groups for the Crimson Tide ahead of the 2026 campaign in the fall. They will be ranked from one to 10 with one being the strongest and 10 being the weakest.

Alabama looks to position itself for an opportunity to win a Southeastern Conference Championship and make a deep run in the College Football Playoff.

We now begin with our first position group ranking, the safeties at Alabama.

-Positional Ranking: [1]

-Strengths: Experience, Continuity, Size, Versatility, Production

-Weaknesses: Injuries

-Analysis:

The safety position is one that Alabama fans should feel the most confident about with this year’s Crimson Tide team.

Keon Sabb and Bray Hubbard are entering a second season together at both safety spots.

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They were strong in 2025, finishing with 79 and 54 total tackles respectively.

Hubbard recorded 4.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, three forced fumbles, six pass breakups, a quarterback hurry, and a team-high four interceptions. He is known as the enforcer, but Sabb is a good coverage safety.

The New Jersey native turned in three pass breakups and an interception last year, while having three picks and seven breakups in two seasons for the Tide. Red Morgan, a junior, plays ‘Husky’ as a nickel defensive back – yet he can also move back to the safety position.

Morgan, an Alabama native, has 27 games of experience under his belt – accounting for 26 tackles, three tackles for loss, three quarterback hurries, a pass breakup, and a forced fumble in 2025. Alabama has Dre Kirkpatrick Jr., Ivan Taylor, Zavier Mincey, and Chuck McDonald II that performed well during spring practice and are full of potential. Jireh Edwards, a five-star freshman, is built like a linebacker, but he is playing safety for the Crimson Tide. The lone issue is can Sabb and Hubbard stay healthy a full season?

Sabb played in just seven games in 2024 because of an injury, and Hubbard was limited throughout spring practice. Should both stay healthy, Alabama has the best safety duo in the nation.

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Stephen M. Smith is a team writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine.  You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.