ASU alum Keith Abney II picks off Cardinals’ Jacoby Brissett as part of career day

Former Arizona State cornerback Keith Abney II broke out with his best game in the NFL so far, as the rookie made his return to Arizona on Sunday while his Detroit Lions won 45-21 against the Cardinals.

Abney nabbed his first NFL interception from Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett to put a punctuation mark on the first half, as he stepped in front of a deep shot by Brissett while Arizona tried to work into field goal range.

Ok, @keithabneyjr!! pic.twitter.com/ktRZTqpkRH

— Detroit Lions (@Lions) October 11, 2026

Abney was getting his heaviest workload on the Detroit defense so far, having played just 25 defensive snaps over the first four games of the season, per PFF.

He took advantage of his 59 defensive snaps Sunday with four tackles, the first pass defensed of his NFL career and the interception, all in just the first half before adding two more tackles in the second. He previously had just two tackles on the season.

“(Lions defensive coordinator) Kelvin Sheppard said he’s probably the smartest rookie he’s ever been around,” Lions.com reporter Tim Twentyman told Arizona Sports’ Bickley and Marotta on Friday. “He was a press-man corner at Arizona State, and then he got here and they’re like, ‘I think he’s smart enough to play inside — he plays a physical brand of football, let’s move him there.’

“And then they’re like, ‘Wow, he can probably play some safety too.’ So, I think the Lions view him as a three-position type of guy. I wouldn’t be surprised Sunday if we see him play a little more, at nickel and safety.”

Abney was a fifth-round draft pick who fell from his expected Day 2 range in part due to his size at 5-foot-9.75 after entering the draft as a junior.

He finished off his ASU career by playing the most coverage snaps across the country without allowing a touchdown in the 2025 regular season. He had five interceptions, 21 passes defensed and two forced fumbles over his final two seasons at ASU.

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