Detroit Lions fifth-round rookie cornerback Keith Abney has not had much attention on him in training camp. There are competitions ahead of him, and he has mostly been transitioning from outside in college to the slot in the NFL. However, head coach Dan Campbell made sure to give Abney his praise when asked how he has progressed.
Campbell made it clear that the transition he is making right now is tough. However, despite not climbing the depth chart, he still feels Abney is showing the progress that will give him a chance to play at some point.
Detroit Lions Remain High on Keith Abney
GettyDetroit Lions fifth-round cornerback Keith Abney received a huge endorsement from one of his college coaches during the 2026 NFL Draft process.
It was smart for Campbell to sing the praises of the rookie because he would be getting lost in the shuffle otherwise. The Lions appear to have open competitions for both the second outside cornerback spot and the starting slot job. However, Abney does not appear to be in the mix for either right now.
On the outside, Rock Ya-Sin is in control, but he is still being pushed. The team has former second-round pick Ennis Rakestraw pushing for a spot behind him. Then, there is Nick Whiteside, who has emerged as a legitimate threat.
In the slot, it had been Rodger McCreary leading the way with Abney as the backup. However, when Christian Izien returned from the PUP, they put him right into the mix. He has jumped McCreary, and those two are fighting for the top spot. Meanwhile, this has pushed Abney to the third man in the slot. He is third on the outside as well.
So, it is easy for him to get discouraged or think this is not going the way he planned. However, Campbell made it clear that the team is just fine with his progression right now.
Keith Abney is Developing in the Slot for the Lions
Abney was a two-year starter at Arizona State. However, he played almost exclusively on the outside. According to PFF, he did have 136 snaps in the box, or on the defensive line, and he had 24 snaps in the slot. However, he played 1,417 snaps on the outside.
The issue is that he is smaller than most teams would want from their outside cornerback. He cannot press wide receivers with his lack of reach and can be beaten in jump-ball scenarios.
Abney also has a profile that looks strong in the slot in the NFL. He is physical with quick feet. In the right system, he brings intrigue. Still, there were too many questions about his development and fit in the NFL. So, he slid to the fifth round.
Still, he has been getting offseason hype and was called a draft steal when selected.
This preseason is going to be massive for him. He is going to mostly get work in the slot, where he lacks experience. How he performs and what he does could show whether he needs a redshirt year or whether it is a matter of time before he starts to push the names ahead of him.
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