Keith Abney II Scouting Report

Keith Abney II is an explosive, tough corner who uses his instincts in off coverage to make impactful plays in pass coverage.

Draft Grade: Round 3 - Adequate Starter

Strengths:

Quickness/Explosiveness: Watching Abney, it is evident that he is a "twitched-up," quick-footed, explosive athlete. He has the foot quickness to match receivers in their release and move laterally to stay in front of them. Abney also possesses a quick hip flip, allowing him to turn and run with receivers on vertical routes and stay in phase. He utilizes his explosiveness to get to the football and close throwing windows that quarterbacks think are open, essentially baiting passers into throws and then breaking up the pass.

Instincts in Off-Coverage: Abney’s best reps come when he is playing off-coverage at the cornerback position. In off-coverage, Abney is able to read both the receiver and the quarterback effectively. From this alignment, he can plant, drive, and close on the football. Abney has great eyes and instincts, which consistently put him in a position to make a play on the ball. He showcases elite closing speed and can be a disruptive player on in-breaking routes, resulting in pertinent pass breakups.

Ball Skills: Abney has recorded five interceptions over the past two years, along with multiple pass deflections, which represent his overall ball skills. Whether he is driving downhill from depth to close on a receiver or tracking the deep ball downfield, Abney shows the ability to locate the football and can bring in the throw for a turnover or, at the very least, deflect the ball to disrupt the play.

Concerns:

Length/Size: For an outside corner, Abney would be categorized as undersized. He may struggle against receivers who have a large catch radius and can either shield him away from the ball using their frame or go up and over him using their height and leaping ability. This issue may cause teams to project Abney as a nickel-only defender in the NFL.

Aggressiveness: Abney's aggressive mentality could negatively impact his game in two main areas. In off-coverage, Abney likes to play aggressively downhill and drive to the receiver to make a play on the football; this could leave him vulnerable to double moves and potentially result in giving up big plays. Abney also likes to get physical with receivers through the duration of the route, which in the NFL could lead to holding penalties.