Illinois Football 2025 Scouting Report: Defensive Back Saboor Karriem

Karriem, an athletic defensive back, will be an important reserve (and perhaps more) for the Illini in 2025

Sep 14, 2024; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini defensive back Saboor Karriem (2) during the second half at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images | Ron Johnson-Imagn Images

Illinois on SI is delivering scouting reports for each of the key players on the Illini football team's 2025 roster. Below, we present our breakdown of Illini junior defensive back Saboor Karriem. We will add more as other on-field contributors emerge during the season. Find our scouting reports of other Illinois players by searching in your favorite browser or clicking in our projected depth chart – coming soon.

Saboor Karriem | Defensive back | Junior | No. 2

Hometown: West Orange, New Jersey

High School: West Orange

Height: 6-foot-3

Weight: 195 pounds

Scouting report

Karriem is a long, fluid athlete whose blend of length, coordination and physicality makes him a natural fit in Illinois’ secondary. The New Jersey native developed into a versatile playmaker in high school, splitting time between receiver and defensive back, which honed both his ball skills and coverage instincts. He leverages his size effectively at the line of scrimmage, using his reach to disrupt routes, while showing the agility to stay in phase downfield.

Fearless in run support, Karriem delivers heavy contact on ball carriers and plays with an edge that energizes the defense. His exceptional vertical leap allows him to high-point passes and challenge even the tallest receivers, making him a dangerous defender on contested throws. Combined with his ability to play through a receiver’s hands and break up passes without drawing penalties, Karriem has the tool kit to be a potentially impact-ready presence in the Illini defensive backfield.

Experience

Karriem began his Illinois career in 2023, appearing in seven games as a true freshman. He made an immediate impression in his debut against Florida Atlantic, recording three pass breakups and showing the coverage instincts that made him a prized recruit. His early snaps primarily came in rotational duty and special teams, where he could rely on his length, athleticism and instincts.

In 2024, Karriem’s role expanded. He continued to grow more comfortable within defensive coordinator Aaron Henry’s scheme, earning more defensive reps and taking on challenging assignments against some of the Big Ten’s top passing attacks. His most notable performance came against No. 1 Oregon when he registered a career-high five tackles and held his own in coverage against a high-powered offense.

Year	Team	Games	Tackles	TFL-Yds	Sacks	INTs	Pass breakups	Forced fumbles
2024	Illinois	12	7	0	0	0	3	0
2023	Illinois	7	2	0	0	0	0	0

Media highlights

What they're saying

"Learning. You know that is the biggest curve. Just the learning curve, understanding the game at a higher level. Taking it down to, like, play by play, step by step," Karriem said of his biggest challenge going from high school to college.

2025 outlook

Karriem enters 2025 as part of an Illinois secondary that returns the bulk of its key contributors, meaning his role will likely come as a rotational depth piece rather than an every-down starter. With two years already under his belt, he is a valuable weapon whom the Illini can deploy all over the field. Karriem's length, physicality and ball skills give the coaching staff the option of plugging him into a variety of packages, whether that’s matching up with bigger receivers on the outside or providing a physical presence in nickel and dime looks.

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