{"id":182625,"date":"2026-05-03T13:03:59","date_gmt":"2026-05-03T13:03:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=182625"},"modified":"2026-05-03T13:03:59","modified_gmt":"2026-05-03T13:03:59","slug":"%f0%9f%9a%a8lions-may-have-found-a-steal-the-detroit-lions-5th-round-pick-is-already-being-labeled-the-biggest-sleeper-of-the-draft-a-hidden-gem-starting-to-turn-heads","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=182625","title":{"rendered":"\ud83d\udea8LIONS MAY HAVE FOUND A STEAL: The Detroit Lions\u2019 5th-round pick is already being labeled the biggest sleeper of the draft\u2014a hidden gem starting to turn heads."},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/strong><\/p>\n

Detroit, MI. \u2014 May 2, 2026.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The NFL Draft is often judged by first-round picks and headline names, but inside the building of the\u00a0Detroit Lions<\/span>, there\u2019s growing belief that one of their most important additions may have come much later.<\/p>\n

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It wasn\u2019t a flashy selection. It wasn\u2019t a name dominating highlight reels.<\/p>\n

But it might be the one that surprises everyone.<\/p>\n

That player is\u00a0Keith Abney II<\/span><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Selected in the fifth round with the No. 157 overall pick, Abney arrived in Detroit with little national attention. Yet within scouting circles, his reputation tells a different story. Analysts have already labeled him one of the biggest \u201csleeper\u201d picks of the 2026 draft class.<\/p>\n

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And the Lions aren\u2019t hiding their belief in him.<\/p>\n

General manager Brad Holmes made it clear that Abney wasn\u2019t simply a value pick \u2014 he was a player the organization graded significantly higher than where he was eventually selected.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was one of those easy decisions,\u201d<\/em>\u00a0Holmes said.\u00a0\u201cWe had him ranked a couple rounds higher. He\u2019s instinctive, he finds the football, he tackles, and he competes.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

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That instinct is what defines Abney\u2019s game.<\/p>\n

At Arizona State, he built his reputation not through elite physical traits, but through production and toughness. Over his final two collegiate seasons, he recorded five interceptions and 21 pass breakups, consistently finding ways to impact the game.<\/p>\n

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He may not dominate with size or speed.<\/p>\n

But he wins with feel.<\/p>\n

On film, Abney shows the kind of awareness coaches trust. He reads routes quickly, reacts without hesitation, and plays with a physical edge that often disrupts timing in the passing game. While he spent most of his college career as an outside corner, many evaluators believe his future in the NFL could be even brighter as a nickel defender.<\/p>\n

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That versatility could be exactly what Detroit needs.<\/p>\n

Despite some improvement in 2025, the Lions\u2019 pass defense still ranked in the middle of the league. Injuries and inconsistency have prevented the secondary from taking the next step, leaving room for new contributors to emerge.<\/p>\n

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Opportunity, however, won\u2019t come easily.<\/p>\n

Detroit enters the offseason with a crowded cornerback room. Established starters like Terrion Arnold and D.J. Reed are expected to lead the group, while veteran addition Roger McCreary projects as the primary nickel option.<\/p>\n

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Behind them, competition is wide open.<\/p>\n

Young players like Ennis Rakestraw Jr. and several depth options are all battling for roster spots and playing time. For Abney, that means nothing will be handed to him.<\/p>\n

Everything must be earned.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve always played with something to prove,\u201d<\/em>\u00a0Abney said during the pre-draft process.\u00a0\u201cThat chip doesn\u2019t go away. It just gets bigger.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

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That mindset may be exactly why Detroit believes he can outperform expectations.<\/p>\n

Because while the draft spotlight has already moved on, inside the Lions\u2019 facility, one question remains:<\/p>\n

What if their biggest impact pick wasn\u2019t the one everyone was watching?<\/p>\n

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Detroit, MI. \u2014 May 2, 2026. The NFL Draft is often judged by first-round picks and headline names, but inside the building of the\u00a0Detroit Lions, there\u2019s growing… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":182631,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-182625","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nfl"],"yoast_head":"\n\ud83d\udea8LIONS MAY HAVE FOUND A STEAL: The Detroit Lions\u2019 5th-round pick is already being labeled the biggest sleeper of the draft\u2014a hidden gem starting to turn heads. - NEWS USA<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=182625\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"\ud83d\udea8LIONS MAY HAVE FOUND A STEAL: The Detroit Lions\u2019 5th-round pick is already being labeled the biggest sleeper of the draft\u2014a hidden gem starting to turn heads. - NEWS USA\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Detroit, MI. \u2014 May 2, 2026. 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