Arizona State Sun Devils defensive back Keith Abney II | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Arizona State cornerback Keith Abney II has made a name for himself by being one of the most physical defenders in all of college football, putting together a statement season in 2025. He now takes his talents into the 2026 NFL Draft, where he looks to become one of the top CBs drafted in April.
A former nationally-recognized speed-skating star, Abney II wasted no time making his impact on the field when joining the Sun Devils. He worked his way into rotational playing time as a freshman, elevating into one of the team's top defenders by his sophomore year. He took his game to another level again for 2025, making multiple All-American teams and being viewed as a top NFL Draft prospect in the 2026 class.
Hits his back foot and crashes down quickly on routes, can lock onto WRs in an instant, and break up passes
Great footwork in his backpedal, stays level, and can engage physically at any point
Stays controlled in soft coverage, doesn’t get too jerky with his body, and can work any angle
Will have flashes of calm hands in press coverage through releases, can attack the catch point effectively
Twitchy in coverage, is ready to strike at a moment’s notice and is always ready to attack the ball
Solid awareness as plays break down and extend, does well to stick to the receiver’s hip
Consistent tackler, won’t have many misses, and uses his physicality well to bring down ball carriers
Re-centers himself at the top of routes smoothly and can break on the ball to disrupt comeback concepts
Really sticky and active in coverage when he establishes contact early, can blanket wideouts and erase them from plays
Coverage instincts are really good, will lock onto routes and position himself well to make impact plays
Thick build as a nickel defender, allows him to get physical and snap onto receivers without the heavy risk of being outmuscled
Weaknesses:
Will get grabby and over-aggressive, penalties could become an issue against physical wideouts
Plays too upright at times, will have to throw himself into some cuts, and isn’t the most fluid defender
Will sometimes stutter when trailing in deep zone coverage, can give up too much space, and not close quickly enough
Struggles planting sometimes when opening his hips before the first route cut
Inconsistent discipline in zone coverage, will get indecisive when either crashing on routes or staying in his area
Will drift a bit too far when working back into coverage with his hips open, and can have a delayed cutback reaction
Overcommits too often on the first cut; multi-cut routes can take advantage of him, and he gets too rotational when trying to defend them
Can take some iffy pursuit routes in coverage when working through traffic, will get rounded and have to overcorrect with physicality
Sideline awareness will have some lapses when working the outside with his hips toward the QB
Timing can be an issue when getting physical at the catch point, leading to some flags
Doesn’t make a consistent impact in the run game, can’t break through blocks, and won’t rip into plays
Speed is decent, but not elite enough to track down burners on the outside
NFL Outlook:
The issue of being too feisty at times is something that whatever NFL team selects Abney II will have to manage, but he should be a more-than-capable Nickel corner at the next level. His technique and discipline need some refining, but the footwork and proficiency at the catch point he displays will make him a productive defensive back from the jump. He should find himself selected on Day 2 of the draft, and could emerge as one of the steadiest cornerbacks drafted if he can settle into his role and use his physicality to his benefit.
NFL Player Comparison:
Entering the NFL with similar measurables and questions surrounding his overaggressiveness, Abney II seems like a higher-end version of New York Jets CB and former Tennessee Titans draft pick Jarvis Brownlee Jr. He plays with the same tenacity and physical coverage, with his wins coming in the same fashion: timed breakups at the catch point and beating WRs through his instincts and contact-centered style of play. Brownlee Jr. has been a consistent contributor when healthy, and Abney II could develop into an every-down defender with a comparable skillset.
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