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NFL.com's Gennaro Filice named cornerback Keith Abney II the biggest sleeper for Dan Campbell and the Detroit Lions in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Dan Campbell and the Detroit Lions had another solid draft according to a lot of NFL pundits. The team addressed its offensive tackle issue in the first round and several defensive concerns on the second two days.
With one of those defensive selections, the Lions landed Arizona State defensive back Keith Abney II.
NFL.com’s Gennaro Filice loved the pick. So much, in fact, Filice identified Abeny as the biggest sleeper for Lions in the 2026 NFL Draft.
“Abney doesn’t blow you away with speed or size, but the 5-10, 187-pounder plays with an endearing chip on his shoulder, providing physicality and premium ball production (SEE: five INTs and 21 PBUs over the past two seasons),” wrote Filice. “The fierce cover man spent his three years at Arizona State as an outside corner, but his best NFL role could come in the nickel.”
The Lions grabbed Abney at No. 157 overall in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft. It was Damp Campbell and the team’s second choice on Day 3.
“He’s another instinctive guy that he 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,” said Lions general manager Brad Holmes.
Dave Holcomb is a sports reporter covering the NFL and MLB for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Pittsburgh Steelers and a variety of other NFL teams. Originally from Pittsburgh, Holcomb has covered college and professional sports for outlets including FanSided, Rotowire and Yardbarker. More about Dave Holcomb