The 2026 NFL Draft is in Pittsburgh! This draft season, we’ll be scouting as many of the top prospects that the Pittsburgh Steelers could have their eye on. We’ll break down the prospects themselves, strengths and weaknesses, projected draft capital, and their fit with the Steelers.
While the Steelers addressed their cornerback room in free agency, that shouldn’t remove the position from their draft board. The Steelers have yet to extend Joey Porter Jr. The only cornerbacks currently signed beyond
2026 on the roster are the newly signed Jamel Dean and unproven Donte Kent — I’m counting Jalen Ramsey as a more ambiguous, moveable defensive back at this point.
With that in mind, the Steelers should still consider taking a cornerback early. Cue my favorite cornerback in this class: Keith Abney II.
The basics on Keith Abney II
- Position: Cornerback
- Class: Junior
- Size: 5’10, 187 pounds, 30” arms, 735/8” wingspan
- Age: 21 (01-11-2005)
- Projected draft round: 2nd
Defensive stats via Sports Reference
Keith Abney II scouting report
Whether lining up outside or kicking inside to cover the slot, Abney is arguably the stickiest corner in the draft. He possesses fluid hips and an above-average ability to mirror receivers’ movements. In college football, there were few corners more trustworthy when on an island in coverage than Abney. He broke out as a sophomore in 2024 with an incredible season as a first-year starter, and then somehow got even better as a junior.
Abney shines in press-man coverage, but he’s above the board in off-man and in zone schemes as well. Abney’s vision, balltracking, and his timing/ability to drive on the ball and break up a pass are his superpowers, and he rounds out his skillset by being a reliable tackler.
Abney’s two main weaknesses in his profile revolve around his measurements. While he’s a standard height and weight for an NFL cornerback, his 30” arms are in just the eighth percentile of cornerbacks measured in the history of the Combine. Length is a premium in the NFL, and while Abney’s tape and playstyle doesn’t have me concerned it will be an issue, it is partly why some evaluators project him to play more in the slot at the pro level. The other major issue is Abney’s speed at the third level. Abney didn’t test at the Combine, so we don’t have an exact metric to represent his speed. On tape, he typically has no issue staying in-stride with receivers vertically, but his less-than-elite recovery speed does show up on the few occasions when a receiver gets Abney to bite on a double move or there’s a coverage bust in zone.
Strengths
- Physical coverage, especially in press coverage
- Prepared to the point that he often looks like he’s running the receivers’ route for them
- Plus-ball skills, aggressive at the point of catch
- Sound tackler (7.1% career missed tackle rate, 4.3% in 2025)
Weaknesses
- Lacks physical length
- Average speed; on the rare occasion he gets beat, his recovery speed is lacking
- 13 penalties combined in 2024 and 2025
- Aggressive nature can come back to bite him on double moves
What others are saying about Keith Abney II
Lance Zierlein, NFL.com
Abney’s coverage IQ and competitiveness are loud on tape. He pairs impressive instincts and recognition with the ball skills of a receiver. Practice battles with Jordyn Tyson sharpened his game. There’s no free rides given from his physical brand of press. Plays the throw like it’s intended for him when in position.
Daniel Harms, Bleacher Report
Abney can align as a boundary or nickel corner and shows good technique from multiple zone and man coverages. He plays with sound footwork, smooth hip transitions, and focused eyes in coverage. The former speed skating champion has a track background that allows him to turn and run downfield in man and click and close downhill with urgency. Plays with a physical and competitive style in man coverage through the route stem and down the field. His processing gets him in the right spots and then he attacks the catch point with great timing.
Keith Abney II’s fit with the Steelers
The Steelers’ starting cornerbacks on the outside are set with Joey Porter Jr. and Jamel Dean, and Jalen Ramsey seems poised for more play at nickel following the signing of Jaquan Brisker. Still, Dean and Brisker each have troubling injuries in their past, and DeShon Elliott is also returning from a significant injury. Injuries happen every season in the NFL, and it would be wise for the Steelers to inject the roster with some youthful depth behind their starters with volatile injury histories. Adding a player like Abney, who can play inside and outside, gives them even greater versatility. Abney would have to battle with Brandin Echols and Asante Samuel Jr. to climb the depth chart, but his superior ball skills and tackling should eventually win out.
Abney’s ball-hawking attitude is another positive match for the Steelers defense. Pittsburgh’s defense was tied for the eighth-most interceptions in 2025 with 15, but Echols (2) and safety Kyle Dugger (2) were the only defensive backs to register multiple interceptions, as linebackers and edge players accounted for nearly half (6) of the team’s total. With 17 PBUs and six interceptions in 979 career coverage snaps, Abney’s aggressive playstyle and football IQ could give the cornerback room a much-needed boost in the playmaking department.
Abney could also have some untapped potential as a blitzer from the slot. He had 10 pass-rushing snaps in his college career, and managed three pressures and a sack in that admittedly small sample size.
TL;DR: Abney is a physical defensive back with a press background and inside-outside versatility. A playmaker on defense, he would fit right in with the Steelers’ mentality of emphasizing turnovers.
What are your thoughts on Arizona State cornerback Keith Abney II? And which draft prospects would you like to see profiled next? Let us know in the comments below!
