Brad Holmes and the Detroit Lions enjoyed a very successful 2026 NFL Draft. Although it was not one of the flashier Draft hauls, Holmes plugged the most critical roster holes while adding depth. He selected prospects who best typify the physicality of the Lions’ style and the character traits of toughness, resilience, leadership, and football savvy that have come to define the Lions in the Holmes/Dan Campbell era.
The pair have always been in lockstep about the type of players they acquire. Holmes acknowledged that again this past weekend. “As long as me and Dan are seeing it the same way in terms of they’re football players that fit us.” Over the past five seasons, he’s developed an uncanny reputation for spotting underrated players who become elite NFL stars. Now, Holmes may have found another diamond in the rough in his 2026 class.
Detroit Lions Rookie Could Be One Of the 2026 Draft Steals
This year, one rookie in particular, Arizona State cornerback Keith Abney II, remained on the board much longer than expected. However, that worked in Detroit’s favor because he could turn out to be one of the 2026 Draft’s biggest steals.
A Gifted Athlete
Called “one of the most consistent Sun Devil athletes across all sports this century,“ Abney, a 5’9 7/8” 187 lb. Junior was a 2025 All-Big 12 honoree. He was also a durable and reliable athlete, recording 26 consecutive starts. Graded an overall 86.3 PFF.com on 785 snaps with two interceptions, nine PBUs, and two forced fumbles, Abney didn’t allow a single touchdown on 72 targets.
According to ESPN, his 20 pass breakups over the last two years set a record for the most in Big-12 history. After his selection, Mel Kiper predicted he could be the Steal of Day 3 and praised his ability to see things, to read and react, and diagnose routes.
At the NFL Combine, Abney impressed NFL Analyst Lance Zierlein with his fierce competitiveness. He noted, “Abney’s coverage IQ and competitiveness are loud on tape… He pairs impressive instincts and recognition with the ball skills of a receiver.” An AFC Regional Scout revealed about Abney, “He’s trusted and respected in Arizona State’s building. Very competitive and very smart.” In addition, Abney was a member of the Pat Tillman Leadership Council.
What Abney Brings To The Detroit Defense
A former nationally ranked speed skater, Abney credits his skating with helping him develop core and lower-body strength, as well as endurance and angle stability. Acknowledging how his stronger endurance helps in long drives, Abney said, “Just the endurance…being able to have my endurance, my lungs. I feel I can go for a long time, go at a high intensity for a long time, so that’s gonna help.”
Abney’s physicality and intuitive style of play will fit well within Kelvin Sheppard’s defense. A versatile athlete who is accustomed to lining up in different formations, Abney can play outside cornerback or nickel slot. Holmes described Abney in his post-draft media session as, “another instinctive guy that 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.”
Abney, Thrilled to Be A Detroit Lions Teammate
At his post-draft media introduction, Abney was immediately asked about his unexpected slide to the fourth round. Brushing it aside, he focused on the result. “Man, the wait doesn’t even matter, man. I’m just glad to be a Lion. It means everything — great program, great, great culture, great coaches, great, great people around. I’m just blessed to be here. Dropped a couple of tears.”
Abney grew up watching Calvin Johnson play and said how the Lions just happened to be one of his favorite teams. Speaking of his admiration for Dan Campbell, he called (his draft) a dream come true.
Asked what he feels are his best attributes and where he needs to improve, Abney responded, “My best attribute, I guess, starts with the IQ. That’s something I pride myself on, just being a smart player, being able to watch a lot of film and understand concepts and understand formations and pick up on tendencies… and my feet, of course, got great feet, and my toughness. That’s why I love this fit. This is a perfect fit. I feel like it’s a tough team that I’m joining, and I feel I’m going to fit right in. And then something that I want to work on, I’ll just say I had some penalties in college, just want to clean that up. And that’s something I’ve been working on this off-season.”
Abney’s Role In The Lions Secondary
Season-ending injuries to Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph significantly impacted the Lions’ secondary. Now, as the pair continues to recover from injuries, Holmes reiterated that both players are headed in the right direction. But when they will return to the active roster is unknown. Terrion Arnold’s availability is also uncertain due to his ongoing legal problems.
In the meantime, Abney will be competing for a starting role at camp against Rock Ya-Sin, Roger McCreary, Nick Whiteside, DJ Reed, and Ennis Rakestraw. Holmes was asked how he sees Abney’s role in the Lions’ secondary and whether he will play nickel. Clarifying the nickel role requires a lot, including speed and vertical matching. Holmes said he wants to see Abney’s instincts and toughness, but he sounded confident in his rookie’s abilities. If Abney can duplicate the consistent production he had at Arizona State, he could end up as one of the 2026 Draft steals.
After the free agency acquisitions and the NFL Draft, it sounds like the Detroit Lions injury-depleted secondary will be just fine this season as well.
