Alabama signee Keon Keeley passes Arch Manning in final On300 rankings update
On Tuesday, On3 will unveil its final rankings update for recruits in the Class of 2023. The goal of these rankings is to assess a prospect’s long-term potential in college football, ultimately manifested by the NFL Draft.
While the full list is not yet public as of publishing this article, there was one major reveal regarding a five-star Alabama signee. Keon Keeley has moved ahead of Texas quarterback signee Arch Manning and now checks in at No. 2 in the final On300.
Keeley was previously No. 3 while Manning was No. 1, with Tennessee quarterback signee Nico Iamaleava now being tabbed as the nation’s top-ranked recruit.
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On3 Director of Scouting and Rankings Charles Power spoke with BamaInsider’s Andrew Bone about Keeley’s new ranking.
“I think he put himself in the conversation for No. 1 with how he looked at the All-American Bowl,” Power said. “He’s on par with what we saw out of Will Anderson and Mykel Williams during the same game. He is definitely on that level and solidified himself as the No. 1 EDGE. Anytime you are No. 1 at that position, it puts you in the mix for No. 1 overall.”
Keeley’s past two seasons have featured a combined 33.5 sacks and 57.5 tackles for loss. Power explained what makes the future Alabama pass rusher such a dynamic player on the gridiron.
“I’ve seen people say he is raw, but that can’t be further from the truth,” Power said. “He has an array of pass rush moves that you see NFL players do. He’s a technician. He’s a deliberate pass rusher and has great attention to detail. An intelligent pass rusher. You see how he works on his craft. He’s the ‘Bama prototype’ for what they want at that position.”
On3 has been high on Keon Keeley since the very beginning
Keeley has been thought of highly by On3 for quite some time.
In August 2021, he cracked the top 20 (No. 18) in our first-ever rankings reveal for the top 100 recruits in his class. The Tampa (Fla.) Berkeley Prep pass rusher would go on to rise to No. 4 in the rankings following a stellar junior season in which he totaled 34 tackles for loss and 16.5 sacks.
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Keeley would maintain his high ranking, making a strong impression on Power during his final spring game. At 6-foot-6, 245 pounds, Keeley wreaked havoc in his senior season as he finished with 23.5 tackles for loss and 17 sacks.
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That all culminated in a dominant showcase at the All-American Bowl in San Antonio (Tx.) this month.
Keeley was stellar from start to finish in the all-star setting. He was named the On3 MVP for the East team after the first day of practice, which featured an impressive move against Ohio State signee Luke Montgomery.
Keeley would go on to continue that high-level performance in the game on Jan. 7, where he notched a sack for the East team. The unstoppable force off the edge wound up with On3 MVP honors for the entire week. This was rewarded to the top overall player amongst both teams.
It will be a little while, however, until Keeley brings his pass rushing skill set to Alabama. The future Crimson Tide football player will be enrolling in the summer as his school does not allow early graduations.
Alabama fans, also be sure to join the discussion about Keon Keeley’s new ranking on the Talk of Champions message board. There’s always a lot of great team, recruiting, and off-topic conversations going on. So, we look forward to talking with you all there!
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