Summer is the season of lists and rankings in the NFL world. For Detroit Lions fans, it didn’t provide much content to read about.
Only one Lions player, tight end T.J. Hockenson, earned a place as a top-10 performer at any position group in the compilation lists from ESPN. There were almost no honorable mentions either, including a complete absence of defensive players.
Sure, center Frank Ragnow was an injury-related snub. And the Lions sport the NFL’s youngest roster, which left few established veterans on the team. But the overall lack of representation on the “top” player lists is emblematic of a team still at the beginning of a massive rebuild.
There are several young Lions who can make these lists next summer. It would be both surprising and disappointing if the likes of Ragnow, Penei Sewell, DeAndre Swift, Aidan Hutchinson, Alim McNeill and others aren’t worthy at this point next year. The excellent teaching skills of the former NFL players all over the coaching staff can only help develop it, too.
Right now, however, the Lions still don’t have the top-end talent so many opponents have on their rosters. It’s important to remember that while guzzling all the positive Kool-aid this summer.