Austin Keys
Career Summary
Austin Keys is a linebacker from Taylorsville, Mississippi, who played at Ole Miss and Auburn before signing with Minnesota as an undrafted free agent in 2025.
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Early Life
Keys grew up in Mississippi and attended Seminary High School. He is the son of Bridget Whitlock and Michael Keys and has two siblings, Montrell and Mylan.
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High School
At Seminary High, Keys was a first-team Class 3A all-state selection who recorded 58 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, two recoveries and an interception as a senior. As a junior, he totaled 79 tackles and 23 tackles for loss and blocked two punts.
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College Career
Keys played three seasons at Ole Miss, appearing in 23 games with five starts and recording 51 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. After transferring to Auburn, he produced 30 tackles in 2023 and 39 in 2024, finishing with 116 collegiate tackles.
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Path to the NFL
After the 2025 NFL Draft, Minnesota agreed to terms with Keys as an undrafted free agent on April 26.
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NFL Career
Keys made Minnesota's initial 53-man roster as an undrafted rookie in 2025 and contributed on special teams. The Vikings waived him on December 31; team season-recap coverage reports that he subsequently landed with Arizona.
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Career Accomplishments
Keys earned Athletic Director's Honor Roll recognition at Ole Miss. At Auburn, he returned from a thumb injury in 2023 and later made eight tackles with a tackle for loss at Alabama in 2024.
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Playing Style
Keys brought physicality and special-teams value to the linebacker position. Minnesota noted that his size and athleticism translated quickly to special teams, while his preseason performance against Tennessee included a sack, four tackles, a tackle for loss and a quarterback hit.
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31143, 00-0040501, 2002-04-03, Austin Keys, Austin, Keys
MFT PLAYER RANKINGS
Current player ranking
MFT Score: 49.9
2026 preseason baseline. Position-relative and updated through the site’s weekly review process.