Arizona State Junior Named to All-American Team

The Arizona State coaching staff continues to prove to be amongst the best in the nation at player development.

Dec 7, 2024; Arlington, TX, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils defensive back Keith Abney II (1) and defensive back Shamari Simmons (7) celebrate during the game between the Iowa State Cyclones and the Arizona State Sun Devils at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

TEMPE -- In many ways, the Arizona State Sun Devils did not meet expectations that had been placed on them in the months leading up to the 2025 season.

One player in specific that met expectations and then some was none other than junior cornerback Keith Abney II - who continued a seemingly linear path of growth over his three seasons in Tempe.

Abney's season that consisted of 44 tackles, 12 pass breakups, a forced fumble, and two interceptions was already recognized in Big 12 honors - now the Texas native is being recognized as an All-American by one outlet.

Nov 22, 2025; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils defensive back Keith Abney II (1) recovers a fumble in the fourth quarter against the Colorado Buffaloes at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

PFSN listed Abney as a first-team All-American on Wednesday morning, which is simply just continuing to validate what an incredible campaign the boundary corner put forward.

Abney's Path to Greatness

Sep 26, 2025; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils defensive back Keith Abney II (1) covers TCU Horned Frogs wide receiver Jordan Dwyer (7) in the second half at Mountain America Stadium, Home of the ASU Sun Devils. Mandatory Credit: Jacob Reiner-Imagn Images | Jacob Reiner-Imagn Images

Abney was a lightly recruited three-star cornerback out of the Dallas area, committed to play football at Utah State for the 2023 season.

This is when the newly formed staff heavily pursued his commitment in the three weeks that followed - resulting in a successful pursuit in late December 2022.

The talented corner played sparingly as a freshman during a rough 2023 season, but decided to continue seeing things through. The 2024 season not only saw Abney's growth into an All-Big 12 cornerback, but also the program's meteoric jump to the top of the conference - and a trip to the College Football Playoff that left the nation pleasantly surprised.

While Abney's counting stats weren't as gaudy as 2024 in some areas, many would argue his performance in his junior year exceeded what was seen a year ago - the growth from three-deep to certified star has been nothing short of incredible.

What's Next for Abney?

The unfortunate reality that Abney's elite season has put him firmly in the picture to be selected on the first two days of the NFL draft come April.

While the consensus is rather split on his actual draft range, it seems as if there's little doubt that he would slide beyond round three - much of the hold up has to do with Abney's smaller frame in a boundary corner role, something that has been quelled in recent months by the film that has been put on display.

Regardless of what the future holds, Abney has been a special Sun Devil, and has set the foundation for coach Kenny Dillingham, cornerbacks coach Bryan Carrington, and everyone else that is invested in the program.

Read more on why the Arizona State men's basketball team will exceed expectations in the 2025-26 season here, and on why the bright future of the football program isn’t dimmed by the loss to Arizona here.

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