Dan Campbell and the Detroit Lions had another solid draft according to a lot of NFL pundits. The team addressed its offensive tackle issue in the first round and several defensive concerns on the second two days.
With one of those defensive selections, the Lions landed Arizona State defensive back Keith Abney II.
NFL.com’s Gennaro Filice loved the pick. So much, in fact, Filice identified Abney as the biggest sleeper for Lions in the 2026 NFL Draft.
“Abney doesn’t blow you away with speed or size, but the 5-10, 187-pounder plays with an endearing chip on his shoulder, providing physicality and premium ball production (SEE: five INTs and 21 PBUs over the past two seasons),” wrote Filice. “The fierce cover man spent his three years at Arizona State as an outside corner, but his best NFL role could come in the nickel.”
Campbell’s defense has experienced both health and performance issues in the secondary for a few seasons. Statistically, the Lions improved in pass defense during 2025 but only moved up to 20th in passing yards allowed.
With that in mind, Abney could play a role in Detroit trying to take another step with its secondary this fall. The Arizona State product was the only defensive back the Lions selected in April’s draft.
The Lions grabbed Abney at No. 157 overall in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Lions Take ‘Instinctive’ Cornerback
In three seasons at Arizona State, Abney became a reliable starter. He particularly shined during his last two campaigns after the Sun Devils transitioned to the Big 12.
Lions general manager Brad Holmes implied it was an easy decision to select Abney.
“He’s another instinctive guy that he could find the football, he could trigger, he can tackle, he’s pretty sticky. I was just – he was just a simple one because we had him ranked a couple rounds higher than where he was, so that was a no-brainer for us,” said Holmes.
As a junior last year, Abney posted 44 combined tackles, including one for loss. He also had 12 pass defenses, two forced fumbles and a sack.
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