One of Cleveland’s more underrated “needs” heading into 2026 is at nickel, with most of the team’s cornerbacks profiling as boundary or field corners right now.
The good thing for the Browns is that this year’s draft class is chock-full of high-level slot corners, and one of the absolute best might be Arizona State’s Keith Abney II. Though the 5’10”, 187-pound DB has primarily played on the outside for most of his collegiate career, a move to the interior is most likely in his future.
He’s built incredibly
well and has displayed some really nice lower-body explosion throughout his time at Arizona State, which also bodes well for a move to the slot in the NFL.
Being such an explosive mover will help him break on receivers who have a two-way go from the slot, and his physicality in press coverage is very impressive for being such a slight corner. His aggressiveness and feisty skillset are exactly what Cleveland is missing at nickel, and it’s a position that has been a revolving door for the Browns over the past three to four seasons.
Myles Harden did well at times for Jim Schwartz last season, but they’re still looking to upgrade heading into 2026. The only other player to show some promise there late in the year, Tre Avery, is set to become a free agent as well.
To be 100% honest, seeing the team select a corner as early as round three wouldn’t be surprising at all based on their shortcomings in the slot as of late. New defensive coordinator Mike Rutenberg could choose to attack the position in the draft rather than free agency, an avenue in which Andrew Berry and Co. have tried and failed at in the past.
Keith Abney II is more than deserving of a top-100 selection in April, and he’d be an excellent value pick at no.70 for Cleveland.
