Our 2026 NFL Combine media recap series continues Thursday with defensive backs who will certainly clear the Detroit Lions’ football character tests. Cornerback may not be an immediate need in Detroit, but there are certainly questions beyond 2026. At safety, the injury situation could force Detroit to re-invest on the back end.

Here are five high-character standouts from the defensive back group.

Clemson CB Avieon Terrell

Size: 5-foot-11, 180 pounds
Quick bio: Brother of A.J. Terrell, Avieon could be a good fit with the Lions given his press-man coverage history and eagerness to get dirty in the run game. Produced a whopping five forced fumbles in 12 games last season, along with 4.5 tackles for loss and 3.0 sacks.
Current draft projection: Round 1-2
Combine vibes:

I spent the first half of Terrell’s media session listening to projected top-10 pick D’Angelo Ponds, but I continued to overhear Terrell and was eventually just full drawn into his press conference (which I wanted to watch anyways).

Terrell’s size could be an issue for some teams, but I imagine the Lions will love his playing style enough to not care too much about size (think Amik Robertson).

“My favorite thing about football? Just being able to hit somebody for free,” Terrell said. “You wake up and can just go hit somebody. So I love that about football. That’s the best thing.”

Given Clemson’s down season last year (7-6), Terrell opted to take on a leadership role to help the young players navigate the adversity. When I asked him what makes good leadership, he mentioned doing all the little things as a role model.

“Watching extra film, extra work after the game, running to the line, not letting nobody walk off the field. Them little things are (for) leaders,” he said.

Arizona State CB Keith Abney

Size: 6-foot 190 pounds
Quick bio: A two-year starter at ASU, Abney is a bit undersized but known for his feistiness and ability to be a ball hawk. In his last two seasons, he produced 21 passes defended, five interceptions, and two forced fumbles. In 2025, he also produced an 85.3 PFF coverage grade, good for 15th-best in the country. Was a captain, as well.
Current draft projection: Round 2
Combine vibes:

Abney sometimes gets tabbed as a zone coverage cornerback, something he is clearly trying to deny. When asked about the underrated parts of his game, he listed two things that would certainly get the Lions’ attention.

“My tackling or my man coverage,” Abney said. “I think a lot of guys view me as a zone defender, but if you turn on the tape, I do a great job (in man).”

Abney’s biggest quirk is that he was involved in competitive speed roller skating. The hobby stemmed from his desire to both compete and connect with people.

“Just meeting people. It was something that I was good at, something that was opening doors. I got to travel a lot of places, and just competing, really. The competitiveness of it. It’s either you win or you lose,” Abney said.

Texas safety Michael Taaffe

Size: 5-foot-11, 193 pounds
Quick bio: Taaffe’s story reminds me of Dan Jackson: he stayed at Texas his entire career just waiting for his opportunity. For years, that meant focusing on special teams and situational defensive play. But in the past two seasons, he’s gotten his defensive opportunity and ran with it. Taaffe excels with effort and a tremendous character that earned him the Wuerffel Trophy (more on that in a minute).
Current draft projection: Day 3
Combine vibes:

Note: Taaffe said he met with the Lions at the Combine

Taaffe had the most polished press conference of the NFL Combine. He struck me as a very impressive human being, and it started with him talking about winning the Wuerffel Trophy—which recognizes outstanding character and community services among all of college football.

“I totally believe in trying to be significant over being successful. Successful is cool, being on a plaque is cool with 10 interceptions in one season. That’s really cool. That’s what we try to work for every single day. But to be significant, to change people’s lives, I think that goes way longer than anything that this game of football can provide. What this game of football has given me, it’s given me a platform to stand in front of you great men and great women and be able to talk about what really matters in life. So that’s what football has given me. This pigskin has given me an opportunity to have the closest relationships with friends, learn life skills that will carry me for the rest of my life. Just being significant and serving the community and being a disciple in the locker room.”

Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman

Size: 6-foot, 205 pounds
Quick bio: The third brother to play safety at Purdue before transferring to Oregon in 2025, Thieneman has the opportunity to be the first of his siblings to carve out a serious NFL career. A starter for two years at Purdue and one at Oregon, Thienamen tallied at least 90 tackles in each year. Thieneman has the size, speed combination to fit multiple schemes and fill multiple positions.
Current draft projection: Round 1-2
Combine vibes:

Thieneman will hear his name called early because of his physical traits, but he’s also got the intangibles to go along with it. I was impressed by daily routine, as inspired by the hard-working mentality of his parents, and his two brothers, who also played safety at Purdue.

“That hard work and discipline. My discipline showed up (in) what I needed to do everyday. At Oregon, I had my specific set schedule. Everyday, I’d wake up at about 5, get there about 5:30, and then go through my routine and just do that everyday,” Thieneman said.

I also like how mindful he was when he transferred to Oregon. Because it’s so common these days, there is a sense players do it haphazardly. But Thieneman walked through his very deliberate process in the tough decision to move from his roots at Purdue to Oregon.

“I was looking for three things in the portal,” Thieneman said. “A great culture. Second was a defensive scheme that would prepare you for the next level playing different coverages, different rotations. And then three was that competition side on offense and defense. I felt Oregon really excelled at all three of those.”

Arizona CB/S Treydan Stukes

Size: 6-foot-2, 200 pounds
Quick bio: Stukes spent his entire six-year college career at Arizona after walking on, and he eventually became the leader of the defense. He started nearly 40 games throughout his career, playing outside cornerback, nickel, and eventually safety. In the NFL, he projects either as a safety or a big nickel with good size and speed.
Current draft projection: Round 3
Combine vibes:

Enjoyed talking to Stukes, who overcame adversity by posting his best career season in 2025 after suffering a torn ACL that cost him most of his 2024 year. Stukes talked extensively about how he mentally focused during the rehab by reading seven mindfulness, wellness books—including one written by his dad.

“It taught me how to be resilient, how to be patient, and trusting the plan that been (put) on me,” Stukes said. “I learned a lot about myself during that process and I was diligent about putting in those daily deposits that help you reap the rewards you want to reap.”

One of Stukes’ biggest draws in the NFL will be his versatility. He played outside initially, moved to nickel in 2023, then played some safety this final year at Arizona.