When the Draft Gods Actually Smile on Detroit
In the fifth round, the Detroit Lions grabbed what might be their biggest steal in Arizona State cornerback Keith Abney. And yes, I know what you’re thinking. We’ve heard “steal” before in Allen Park, haven’t we?
But this one feels different. This one has the numbers to back it up.
The Fall That Makes No Damn Sense
Draft analysts had Abney projected as high as a second-round pick. Dane Brugler ranked him 61st overall in his class. Trevor Sikkema had him 53rd, Lance Zierlein 85th, Daniel Jeremiah 98th.
Detroit snagged him at 157th overall. That’s not just value, that’s highway robbery in broad daylight.
The Wide Left consensus big board had Abney ranked 61st overall, making this one of the best value picks of Day 3. Sometimes the draft board just falls your way, and after decades of watching it fall the other direction, we’ll take it.
Built Different at 5-10
Abney checks in at 5-foot-10, 188 pounds. Undersized? Sure. But he plays with the kind of tenacious attitude that gets defensive coordinators excited.
Think Amik Robertson, who spent two seasons here playing both nickel and outside before heading to the Commanders this offseason. Detroit loves that versatility, and Abney brings it in spades.
At the NFL Combine, he pushed back hard against anyone trying to box him in as just a zone corner. “My tackling or my man coverage,” Abney said when asked about his most underrated skills. “I think a lot of guys view me as a zone defender, but if you turn on the tape, I do a great job in man.”
He earned a 9.07 on the Grit Index, ranking third among cornerbacks in this class. That sounds about right for a Lions pick.
The Penalty Problem That Isn’t Really a Problem
Here’s the catch. Physical corners draw flags, and Abney was called for 13 penalties over his last two seasons as a starter for Arizona State.
But Detroit likes their corners playing on the edge of physicality. Hell, that’s been the culture since Dan Campbell walked through the door. They’re not going to view aggressive play as a negative when it comes with the kind of coverage skills Abney brings.
The Speed Skating Prodigy
This might be the best random draft nugget you’ll hear all year. Abney was a competitive inline skater as a kid, and apparently he was damn good at it. His website from when he was 11 years old is still up, which is both hilarious and oddly charming.
He won four national titles and destroyed a 300-meter national record in seventh grade. That kind of speed and competitiveness doesn’t just disappear when you switch sports.
A Dream Come True in Honolulu Blue
During his post-draft call with Detroit media, Abney dropped the kind of quote that makes you believe in fate just a little bit. “Man, the wait don’t even matter, man. I’m just glad to be a Lion,” he said.
“It means everything. It’s a great program, great culture, great coaches, great people around. I’m just blessed to be here. I’m feeling all the emotions, man. Dropped a couple of tears. It’s a dream come true and the Lions just happen to be one of my favorite teams, so everything’s working out alright.”
After all the years of players treating Detroit like a consolation prize, hearing someone call it a dream come true hits different. Especially when the tape backs up the excitement.
Did the Lions just land a starting-caliber corner in the fifth round, or are we setting ourselves up for another classic Detroit letdown? Sound off below.
Ok I’m getting ahead of myself but this feels RIGHT. A guy who actually wants to be a Lion, has the tape to back it up, and fell 100 picks for no real reason? That’s the kind of thing that can change a secondary. Campbell’s culture is finally attracting dudes who give a damn.
I want to believe this so bad but we’ve done the “steal” narrative before and it usually doesn’t work out. That said, the kid seems like he actually cares about being here which is something. Let’s see if it translates on Sundays before we start planning parades.
Man, hearing a player say being a Lion is a dream come true instead of acting like they got stuck with us… that hit me different. This organization has been through so much, it’s nice when someone actually respects what we’re trying to build here.
The inline skating thing is such a random detail but honestly it tells you everything about his competitive fire. This dude was winning nationals as a kid, that mindset doesn’t just go away. I’m genuinely pumped about what Abney can do for this defense.