#22

Jaylen Key

Former defensive back at Alabama. 2023: 1 interception, 1 pass breakup, 60 tackles.

DB · Alabama · Sr. · #22

6′2″ · 210 lb · Tallahassee, FL

CFB Index 50 · #268 of 538 safetiesLow confidenceNew York — drafted 2024, Rd 7, Pick 37, #257 overall

The story

Former defensive back at Alabama. 2023: 1 interception, 1 pass breakup, 60 tackles.

Signed as a 3-star recruit to UAB in 2018.
Transferred from UAB to Alabama in 2023.
Drafted round 7 by the New York in 2024.

His career, year by year

Recruiting

3★

S recruit

No. 2062 nationally · Signed with UAB

No college snaps yet.

His career numbers, season by season

How it ended

Five seasons at Alabama, 138 tackles — drafted at #257 overall by New York.

His career

Nobody recruited him. He earned the honors anyway.

2018

Signed with UAB3-star out of Amos P. Godby

202213 games

All-Conference USAhonorable_mention

202312 games

Entered the portal

2024

Drafted by New Yorkround 7, pick 257

Career arc

Recruit

★★★

#2062 national

CFB

College

2 teams

2019–2023

NFL

NFL Draft

R7 · #257

New York · 2024

Trophy case · Confirmed honors

What the selectors said

1 honor

🎖

ALL-CONFERENCE USA

All-Conference USA mention (2022)

Coaching lineage · 2019–2023

1 coach

2019–2023

Nick Saban

Alabama

Played his entire career under Nick Saban.

Where He Ended Up · NFL

New YorkEntering 3rd NFL season

#257Rd 7 · Pick 37

New YorkEntering 3rd NFL season

View college career stats ↓

2023 snapshot

Season context · Team result + system

2019UAB9-5HC: Bill Clark · Run-heavy

2020UAB6-3HC: Bill Clark · Run-leaning

2021UAB9-4HC: Bill Clark · Run-heavy

2022UAB7-6HC: Bryant Vincent · Run-heavy

2023Alabama12-2HC: Nick Saban · Run-heavy

Where this defender ranks vs the field

Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort

50Rotational starter #268 of 538?

Medium confidence7 metrics · season cumulative

Elite: solo tackles (88th percentile). Strength: tackles (87th percentile). Concern: sacks (24th percentile).

Box-score production (7)

Solo tackles#340 / 2842 · 88th pct

Tackles#355 / 2842 · 87th pct

Passes defended#1113 / 2842 · 50th pct

Tackles for loss#1669 / 2842 · 38th pct

1.5

Interceptions#323 / 827 · 31st pct

QB hurries#1486 / 2842 · 24th pct

Sacks#1503 / 2842 · 24th pct

0.0

Percentiles are versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score production. There are no play-by-play efficiency bars here: CFBD's play-value model credits offensive players only, so no defensive EPA exists to rank.

Splits & context

Splits · Per-game

2023 season · 12 games

Home/Road · Season halves

Home vs Road

	TKL/g	TFL/g	SACK/g	PD/g
Home7g	4.9	0.2	0.0	0.1
Road5g	5.2	0.0	0.0	0.0

First half vs Second half

	TKL/g	TFL/g	SACK/g	PD/g
Weeks 1-78g	5.2	0.2	0.0	0.0
Weeks 8+4g	4.5	0.0	0.0	0.2

Supporting cast · Scheme

Staff and system around the player

2026 season

Head Coach

Kalen DeBoer

Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.

Awards

Player standing · 2023

Starter

Tackle volume for the position at a full-time starter's level.

Recognition

Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex

Production · CFB Index Score

50 · #268 of 538 safeties

Three-star recruit. Now #268 at the position.

Career stats

Season	Team
2023	Alabama	60	35	1.5	0.0	1	1	--
2022	UAB	60	41	4.5	1.0	1	3	--
2021	UAB	6	6	0.0	0.0	1	--	--
2020	UAB	9	8	0.0	0.0	--	--	--
2019	UAB	3	3	0.0	0.0	--	--	--
Career		138	93	6.0	1.0	3	4	--

Signature game

SIGNATURE GAME · Week 14 · 2023

W 27–24

vs Georgia

3 TOT · 3 SOLO

A wire-to-wire battle — won by 3 at home.

With J. Milroe — 192 yds · 2 TD · 0 INT · QBR 75.4 · 29 rush yds (14 car) · J. Burnip — 46 AVG · 3 IN 20 · 56 LONG

Game log

Game log · Week-by-week

2023 season · 12 games

Box score · CFBD

Wk	Opp	TKL	SOLO	TFL	INT	PD	Note
Wk 1	W 56-7vs Middle Tennessee	4	2	0.0	1	0
Wk 2	L 24-34vs Texas	7	6	0.0	—	0
Wk 3	W 17-3@ South Florida	4	2	0.0	—	0
Wk 4	W 24-10vs Ole Miss	5	3	0.0	—	0
Wk 5	W 40-17@ Mississippi State	9	2	0.0	—	0	Season-high 9 tackles
Wk 6	W 26-20@ Texas A&M	2	0	0.0	—	0
Wk 7	W 24-21vs Arkansas	7	4	1.5	—	0
Wk 8	W 34-20vs Tennessee	7	4	0.0	—	0
Wk 10	W 42-28vs LSU	1	0	0.0	—	1
Wk 13	W 27-24@ Auburn	7	5	0.0	—	0
Wk 14	W 27-24vs Georgia	3	3	0.0	—	0
Bowl	L 20-27@ Michigan	4	4	0.0	—	0
Total		60	35	1.5	1	1

Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology