No. 1 ATH spurs recruitment battle with four major college football programs

Columbus, Ohio, USA; Glassboro (New Jersey) athlete Xavier Sabb watches warm-ups before Ohio State's game against the Marshall University Thundering Herd at Ohio Stadium. | Lori Schmidt / Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Xavier Sabb, a 6-foot-1, 180-pound athlete out of Glassboro High School in New Jersey, is widely viewed as one of the most complete football players in the country. 

Ranked as the No. 1 athlete in the 2027 class, Sabb sits comfortably inside the national top 30 overall and holds more than two dozen scholarship offers from college football’s biggest brands.

As a junior in 2025, he helped lead Glassboro to a 14–0 record and a second straight state championship, finishing with 59 receptions for 897 yards and 13 touchdowns on offense while adding 15 tackles and four interceptions on defense.

Stuffing the stat sheet on both sides of the ball, Sabb earned Gatorade New Jersey Player of the Year honors.

The season prior, Sabb showcased his versatility by lining up at wide receiver, wildcat quarterback, and defensive back, while also serving as the team’s primary return man, leading the school to a 13–0 record and its first-ever Group 1 state championship.

Now, according to Rivals recruiting analyst Chad Simmons, four of college football’s most powerful brands are circling Sabb as the race for one of the 2027 cycle’s premier athletes tightens. 

Simmons reported Monday that Alabama, Oregon, Nebraska, and Notre Dame have emerged as the four programs most heavily linked to Sabb, setting up one of the most consequential recruiting battles of the cycle.

Alabama Crimson Tide defensive back Keon Sabb (3) and defensive back Bray Hubbard (18) against the Oklahoma Sooners | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Alabama remains a natural fit. The Crimson Tide has long prioritized elite athletes who can be molded into matchup problems, and Sabb’s recruitment is further complicated by family ties, as his older brother, junior defensive back Keon Sabb, is already on Alabama’s roster.

Oregon has surged into the heart of the race as well. The Ducks have become one of the nation’s most consistent College Football Playoff contenders and are making Sabb a clear priority, highlighted by an official visit scheduled for late January.

Notre Dame continuesto recruit nationally and place a premium on versatile, multi-positional players, and Sabb fits the profile of a prospect who could impact games early while benefiting from Notre Dame’s proven developmental track record.

Nebraska, meanwhile, is pushing to reassert itself on the national stage under head coach Matt Rhule, and landing a prospect of Sabb’s caliber would be a program-defining win, one that could anchor the Cornhuskers’ already No. 5-ranked 2027 recruiting class.

In comparison, Notre Dame currently sits No. 4 nationally in the 2027 cycle, Alabama ranks No. 12, and Oregon checks in at No. 44, according to 247Sports.

No official commitment date has been announced, but expectations are that a decision will arrive between late January and early spring, following final visits and internal evaluations.

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