Lions grab sure tackling cornerback with Arizona State’s Keth Abney II, may be their biggest steal- Breaking down the risk, rewards, and scouting report
The Lions somehow nab and starting cornerback in the fifth round. That doesn’t happen very often. Abney might be the biggest steal of the day
The Detroit Lions are adding another cornerback to an already pretty crowded secondary room that had 15 players in it before this pick. They took Arizona State cornerback Ketihh Abney with the 157th pick in the fifth round.
The rewards for the Lions with Keith Abney II
The first thing that jumps off the page with Abney is an 87.6 tackling grade from Pro Football Focus. He missed just two tackles in 2025, playing 785 snaps.
On top of that, he’s strong in coverage. He allowed a passer rating of 46.1 in 2025. To go with that, he had nine pass breakups and two interceptions. He also had an 85.3 coverage grade.
This is a pretty big steal if you go by the draft experts. Abney was projected to go much higher than this. The Athletic’s Dane Brugler had him as a second or third-round pick. We had him as our 61st-ranked player on our big board.
The risks for the Lions with Keith Abney II
Penalties for starters. 13 combined penalties in the last two years. This guy is handsy and aggressive. Kind of like Terrior Arnold. That might be their style at the end of the day.
Aside from that, he’s a bit small at just under 5-foot-10. Kind of like an AMik Robertson style player. He’s played mostly outside, but Detroit is likely to want him inside. He only has 26 snaps in the slot in college. So he’s going to have to learn the position a little bit.
AtoZ Sports Scouting Report on Keith Abney II
- Player: Keith Abney II
- Position: CB
- Career Projection: Immediate Quality Starter
- Birthdate: 1/11/2005
- Age: 21
“This class is filled with talented players at cornerback, and Keith Abney II has been overlooked. He’s shown plus ability to attack the football, especially on slants and in-breaking routes. His patience and recognition in both areas are excellent. His short stature will be an issue for some teams, but he plays bigger than his listed height of just under 5-10. Whoever selects Abney will get an immediate contributor either at nickel or on the outside.”
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