What Keith Abney Usage at Minicamp Means for Detroit Lions

The Detroit Lions were widely believed to have gotten one of the steals of the NFL Draft this year when they selected Keith Abney II in the fifth-round.

Regarded by many draft analysts as a player worthy of a Day 2 selection, Abney fell into the fifth-round. His playing style, as a physical, tough corner, seems to fit Detroit's defensive style nicely.

With the offseason workout program in the rearview mirror, Abney has been able to make a solid first impression on the coaching staff throughout organized team activities and mandatory minicamp. He's hoping to build momentum heading into training camp.

Throughout that time, Abney has predominately been working with the second-team defense. He has taken reps both on the outside as a boundary corner as well as a slot corner in the nickel position. His versatility seems to be something the Lions can take advantage of and put to use in their scheme.

In college, Abney played plenty of man-to-man defense and did a solid job matching up with bigger receivers even with his 5-foot-9 frame. This will be an asset for Detroit's defense, which has traditionally played a lot of man-to-man coverage under head coach Dan Campbell.

During a conversation with Lions OnSI during OTAs, Abney proclaimed that he'll be able to measure up physically and believes that playing against the high level wideouts the team has will be beneficial for him.

The Lions have gotten deeper in the cornerback room this offseason. For starters, Ennis Rakestraw seems to be ready for a bigger role after missing all of last season due to an injury, while the team also re-signed Rock Ya-Sin and brought in Roger McCreary on a one-year deal.

As a result, the cornerback room will be competitive with incumbent starters D.J. Reed and Terrion Arnold also returning. Notably, Campbell said during minicamp that Arnold will have to compete to earn his spot again after suffering a season-ending shoulder injury last year.

Abney will fit into this equation in some capacity. Whether it's as depth on the outside or as the backup nickel, he'll have a role that will help the defense at some point. As a rookie, he'll also have the valuable opportunity of learning under veterans before eventually stepping into a bigger role.

The rookie has also looked good in his reps at gunner during special teams drills. Abney has the athleticism to be a real factor in this phase of the game, which is something the Lions have placed a premium on throughout Campbell's tenure.

While he may not begin the year as a starter, the toll of a 17-game season indicates that at some point he'll be called upon to contribute. Based on early returns, the Lions seem to be confident that he'll be able to play at a high level when his number is called.

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