Keith Abney II's favorite play in college came toward the end of a game in which he didn't start, toward the end of his freshman season in which he didn't see much of the field. Arizona State was taking a beating from Oregon. Abney had watched all of the defensive breakdowns from the bench, including one passing concept that Oregon ran again and again without resistance. Abney told himself he wouldn't allow it if he got on the field. He got a chance in the fourth quarter.
"They had been running this play all game and when I finally got in, they ran it again on third down, scissors route (for two receivers), with a post and a corner, I passed off the post, and it's crazy, our defense, we gave up that play all year," he said this summer, recalling it like it was yesterday. "Like, we never, never stopped that play."
Abney saw it coming, broke on the corner route and picked off the pass.
"He is well above what most rookies are when they get into camp," Lions defensive backs coach Deshea Townsend said last month, "the ability for him to take it from the classroom to the field."
Abney played almost exclusively outside corner in three seasons at Arizona State. The Lions drafted him to be a nickel. On Sunday in Arizona, with Detroit's secondary in dire need of help, not far from his old stomping grounds, Abney made his first NFL start, at safety.
"I haven’t played safety since middle school," he said with a smile.
It didn't look like it. Abney logged 51 snaps at free safety and helped stabilize the back of the Lions' defense in their best performance of the season, a 45-21 romp of the Cardinals. He finished with six tackles, and returned to Detroit with his first career pick and first career game ball.
"We leaving Arizona with some souvenirs," he grinned.
Ok, @keithabneyjr!! https://t.co/ktRZTqpkRH
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) October 11, 2026
The Lions started cross-training Abney at nickel and safety toward the end of camp. He made his NFL debut at nickel in Week 1, then didn't see any snaps on defense the next three games. The Lions, meanwhile, were bleeding explosive plays. Searching for a way to limit them, they told Abney to prepare for a bigger role in Week 5. It dawned on him as last week progressed that he was probably going to start at safety.
Abney said it was "kinda easy" to learn the position, because he takes notes on the duties of every player in the secondary during defensive meetings. Lions defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard calls Abney "one of the smartest rookies I have ever been around." Dan Campbell said Monday that "we just felt like we needed somebody who’s going to do what we ask him to do."
"If we told him, 'This is the look, this is where we need you, here’s your landmark,' that kid will do it, and that’s exactly what he did," said Campbell on 97.1 The Ticket. "For a rookie, he’s freaking smart, and he doesn’t make the same mistake twice. You ask him something in the meeting, he nails it, and he doesn’t need to hear it about himself. You tell anybody else what their responsibility is at 'this position, this down, this distance,' and then you ask him, he’ll tell you what that job is, too. That’s what we’re looking for."
The Lions surrendered a touchdown on the Cardinals' first drive. But as the defense warmed to the task, so did Abney. Midway through the second quarter, he helped the Lions force their fifth straight three-and-out when he run blitzed on second and short and dropped third overall pick Jeremiyah Love at the line of scrimmage. Abney was projected to go on Day 2 of the draft, but fell into the fifth round amid concerns about his speed and length.
The Lions were thrilled to get him when they did.
"157," Abney said Sunday. "That’s really what’s been on my mind since I got drafted: 157. I’m just trying to play with a chip on my shoulder, because I remember that feeling on draft day, like, dang, every (time) ‘The pick is in,’ it’s not my name. That’s really all I’ve been thinking about … I wouldn’t say I was disappointed, more so shocked. But at the end of the day, God doesn’t make mistakes and this was right where I need to be. I’m a proud Lion and wouldn’t rather be anywhere else."
Without Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph to start the season, the Lions rolled with veterans Chuck Clark and Avonte Maddox at safety. Christian Izien was next man up after Maddox went down for the year with a foot injury in Week 2, but Izien lost the job due to multiple blown assignments in the Lions' loss to the Panthers last week.
On Sunday, it was Abney who looked like the veteran next to Clark, who was out of position on a couple big plays for the Cardinals. With Branch set to return in Week 7, you wonder if Abney will start to eat into Clark's playing time. The next step for the rookie could be earning more opportunities in the red zone. He's at least earned himself more snaps. He wasn't perfect in Arizona, but Abney executed his assignment more often than not. Right now, in this defense, that will keep you on the field.
“I thought he was solid," said Campbell. "The things that popped up for him were the, 'Hey, I haven't done this before' (kind), which is what you want for a rookie ... It's different than corner because now you're seeing the whole big picture. And sometimes when you see the whole big picture, it's too much. But he's got a feel for it. He's kind of crafty that way. He's a little bit of jack of all trades and just a young, growing player. That was a step in the right direction yesterday. That was good to see. He's worth continuing to work with at safety."
The interception won't make any highlight reels. It didn't really change the game, coming on a harmless heave by Jacoby Brissett on the final play of the first half. But Abney went up and came down with it through contact. He gets credit for that. Asked what he was thinking when the ball was in the air, Abney said, "Mine, I gotta go get it. That’s my ball."
And this was his chance. As he learned three years ago at Arizona State, sometimes "you gotta wait your turn ... and when the time comes, you gotta be ready." Abney is still taking online courses at ASU, finishing his degree. He submitted an assignment just a few days ago. Then he passed his first major test in the NFL.
