When it rains, it pours for Terrion Arnold and the Detroit Lions. The former first-round pick is tangled up in quite the troubling situation, and while football might be the last thing going through his mind right now, it's hard to believe he'll suit up for the Lions in 2026.
Considering that, the Lions now have a huge void to fill in the secondary. As much as Arnold had struggled, he was still projected to be one of the starting outside cornerbacks, with D.J. Reed on the other side.
However, a problem is also an opportunity for someone else, and the Lions had already added another body to the mix through the 2026 NFL Draft. Now, the job might be Keith Abney II's to lose if he turns some heads in training camp.
Keith Abney II has a golden opportunity to start for the Lions
Abney is one of the most intriguing and polarizing cornerback prospects turning pro this year. He struggled with a lack of on-field discipline and is a bit of a tweener, but his instincts are simply mesmerizing.
The production is there, and he's someone who plays much bigger than his size. Given his height, he was projected to move to the slot in the pros, though he's played outside in college and looked quite comfortable in the boundary.
In 25 starts with the Arizona State Sun Devils, he picked off five passes and broke up 21. He held opposing quarterbacks to a 44.4 percent completion percentage, and his ability to stick to his man in coverage popped up on the tape.
The Lions gave up the tenth-most points per game (22.4) and the twelfth-most passing yards per game (217.4) last season, and most of that had to do with a secondary that was way too permissive with big plays. Arnold had his fair share of struggles when he was healthy, so even as a former first-round pick, his job was already in jeopardy.
Abney is a bit raw and clearly has some physical limitations; he was a fifth-round pick for a reason. That said, effort and a strong work ethic will never be a concern with him, and he'll bring top-notch energy to the field on every single drive -- sometimes a bit too much.
If he can keep penalties to a minimum and prove that he can hold his own in training camp, there's no reason to believe he won't be Kelvin Sheppard's starting CB2 in 2026.
Add us as a preferred source on Google