Keith Abney Makes Case for High Selection in NFL Draft

Feb 26, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Arizona State defensive back Keith Abney II (DB01) speaks to members of the media during the NFL Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images

Keith Abney Makes Case for High Selection in NFL Draft

Originally posted on Arizona State Sun Devils on SI
By Kevin Hicks | Last updated Feb 27, 2026 3:00 PM ET

Add us as a preferred source on Google

TEMPE -- Former Arizona State cornerback Keith Abney II has risen from the ranks of strong underdog story to legitimately strong NFL prospect over the last two years.

The 2025 All-Big 12 selection opted to declare for April's draft ahead of the Arizona State season finale in December, and has since put in countless hours to prepare.

The culmination was Abney speaking to media on Thursday in Indianapolis ahead of presumably taking part in on-field combine activities on Friday - the talented prospect briefly made the case as to why an NFL franchise should take a chance on him.

Abney Makes Case to be Selected Early

The argument Abney made was a simple, yet profound one that should hold weight to different franchises.

"I'm a competitive player a great energy player, I'll play hard, play with great energy, I'm a game changer. I feel like that's really the one thing to say I'm a game changer."

There are many layers to unpack from this statement despite the brief nature - most importantly is the 21-year old having unbridled confidence in his ability to positively impact games. All one needs to do to confirm this notion is to go back and watch film from the Arizona State defense over the last two seasons. Abney's technique, tendency to take away space from opposing receivers through many means, and general knack to generate breakups/turnovers are all evident in that process.

Abney is simply incredibly confident in his ability, and has the track record to back up the talk.

Arianna Grainey-Imagn Images

The other area that is vital to unpack is the first half of the statement, where Abney discusses his competitive nature and high energy mindset that comes with his game.

Any player can claim that they play harder than the competition, but Abney once again has backed up the talk for an extended period of time. There wasn't a moment during the 2025 season that Abney didn't utilize to work on improving in one way or another. There's little to no doubt that Abney will ultimately be willing to aid the team in any way that is needed (including playing special teams) and that there is an understanding that a starting role will need to be earned in the months ahead.

Until then, Abney projects as a second or third round pick by most, with numerous NFL franchises being labeled as an optimal fit - this points to a bright future for the ASU program legend.

Read more on the bold strategy that head coach Bobby Hurley employed with comments on 1/21 here, and on why Arizona State may have saved the season with the win over Cincinnati on Saturday here..