Alabama adds UAB safety Jaylen Key from transfer portal

For the second time this week, Alabama is strengthening its secondary through the transfer portal. Three days after landing Louisiana-Lafayette cornerback Trey Amos, the Crimson Tide received a commitment from UAB safety Jaylen Key on Friday. The redshirt senior has one year of eligibility remaining.

Alabama has now added five players from the transfer portal this offseason as Key follows, Amos as well as quarterback Tyler Buchner (Notre Dame), tight end C.J. Dippre (Maryland) and inside linebacker Trezmen Marshall (Georgia).

Key started eight games over 13 appearances during a breakout season last year in which he tied for UAB's team lead with three interceptions. He also registered 60 tackles, including 4.5 stops for a loss and a sack, while forcing a pair of fumbles. According to Pro Football Focus, he held opposing passers to a 56.8 NFL quarterback rating, allowing 23 receptions for 273 yards and no touchdowns on 33 balls thrown his way.

Key spent the majority of his snaps working in the box last season. However, the 6-foot-2, 210-pound defender is also capable of lining up as a deep safety.

Alabama lost starting safeties Jordan Battle and DeMarcco Hellams to the NFL Draft. Malachi Moore spent the majority of the spring lining up at deep safety with the first-team offense but was forced to drop down to the STAR position during the A-Day game following due to the Crimson Tide’s lack of depth in the slot.

Along with Key and Moore, Alabama’s current crop of safeties features redshirt junior Kristian Story, junior DeVonta Smith, redshirt freshman Jake Pope and true freshmen Caleb Downs, Brayson Hubbard and Tony Mitchell.

Mitchell was suspended from the team in late March following his arrest for marijuana possession with the intent to sell charge. He is still listed on the team’s official roster, but it is unknown how Alabama will handle his status moving forward.

At the very least, the addition of Key adds experienced depth to a young Alabama secondary.

The Crimson Tide returns a pair of starting cornerbacks in Kool-Aid McKinstry and Terrion Arnold. Those two are heavy favorites to retain their first-team status heading into the season. Meanwhile, the recent addition of Amos provides some insurance in case of injury or early struggles.

Before having to move Moore down to STAR for the A-Day game, Alabama used Earl Little II in the slot with the first-team defense for most of the spring. Key provides stability at the position in the event Little stumbles out of the gate. However, if Little does lock down the STAR role, Key and Moore could pair up at deep safety to form an experienced duo in the back of the Crimson Tide’s secondary.

Alabama is now pretty deep at safety as Downs lived up to his five-star status during camp while Story and Pope also showed breakout potential this spring.

CB

Kool-Aid McKinstry, Jr.

Dezz Ricks, Fr.

Antonio Kite, R-Fr.

CB

Terrion Arnold, R-So.

Trey Amos, Jr.

Jahlil Hurley, Fr.

FS

Malachi Moore, Sr.

Jake Pope, R-Fr.

DeVonta Smith, Jr.

SS

Jaylen Key, R-Sr.

Caleb Downs, Fr.

Kristian Story, R-Jr.

Tony Mitchell, Fr.

STAR

Earl Little, R-Fr.

Jaylen Key, R-Sr.

Brayson Hubbard, Fr.