Our Max Gerber breaks down the Lions rookie class and how they fared in the preseason opener
The preseason has arrived, giving us our first real look at the rookies of the Detroit Lions 2021 class.
While some have already acclimated into their starting roles, others had to put in extra effort in order to be noticed and to stick around until the next preseason game.
Here is how the rookies performed against the Buffalo Bills:
Running backs Jermar Jefferson and Dedrick Mills
Jefferson, a seventh-round pick out of Oregon State, took just11 snaps on offense against the Bills. The rookie had four carries for seven yards and took a screen for one yard later in the game.
Another rookie running back but on a much better performance on Friday night. Undrafted free agent Dedrick Mills showed up in the second half and contributed some big plays on offense. His first two touches went for no gain, but he more than made up for those by taking his next four carries for a total of 32 yards.
If Mills continues to impress the way he did this week, he could see himself passing Jefferson on the depth chart.
Wide Receivers Amon-Ra St. Brown, Sage Surratt and Javon McKinley
St. Brown came out with the first-team offense and took a majority of his snaps from the slot receiver position. His first reception of the game was a three-yard gain, but his mechanics on the route are what showed he has potential to be great in Detroit. St. Brown used some quick footwork and some misdirection with his hands to fake out the defender and make the catch.
Later in the first quarter, he did the same on an out route, using his feet to throw off the defensive back and get nine yards on the catch. St. Brown also looked more than capable as a run-blocker.
Undrafted rookies Surratt and McKinley did not do much to impact the game. McKinley had two receptions for 40 yards in the fourth quarter. Surratt failed to get open or get separation on most of his snaps. He nearly secured a touchdown at one point by wrapping his arms around the defender and catching the ball behind him, but he dropped the pass.
Tight end Brock Wright
Despite taking 15 snaps on offense, Wright failed to do much of anything for Detroit’s offense. The undrafted rookie out of Notre Dame struggled as a run-blocker and will have to really step up in the next preseason game if he wants to beat out Alizé Mack for the third tight end role.
Offensive Linemen Penei Sewell, Tommy Kraemer and Evan Heim
As the team’s first-round pick this year, Sewell was the player everyone had their eyes on. The rookie out of Oregon played his first football game since 2019 on Friday night and it was clear there was some rust he needed to shake off.
Sewell took the field as the starting right tackle and had his struggles on the opening drive. Buffalo’s rookie defensive end Gregory Rousseau beat Sewell to help one of his teammates get a sack on Jared Goff. After that play, the rookie lineman seemed to start getting more comfortable in his role and fewer mistakes were made during his appearances in the first quarter of the game.
For most offensive linemen, a quiet game is a good game. Tommy Kraemer and Evan Heim saw the field as a tackle and guard, respectively, in the fourth quarter. Heim allowed a sack on Blough late in the game, and Kraemer didn’t do much to draw attention to himself during his 17 snaps on offense.
Defensive linemen Alim McNeil and Levi Onwuzurike
McNeil was the starting nose tackle in Detroit’s new 3-4 defensive front. For the interior of the line, his job was to stuff the run and create some pressure on the opposing quarterbacks. While he was able to outmuscle some of the Bills’ offensive linemen, their run game trampled over McNeil and the defense in the first half.
Onwuzurike, the Lions’ second-round pick, did not appear in this preseason game. He is dealing with back problems that have limited him in camp.
Linebackers Derrick Barnes and Tavante Beckett
Barnes was the clear standout of this rookie class on Friday night. The former Purdue Boilermaker showed real promise at the inside linebacker position. His pursuit skills were on full display on one play as he scanned the field, tracked the ball quickly, and flew out to the sideline quick to make a tackle.
On the very next play, he took advantage of a hole made by fellow rookie Ifeatu Melifonwu and rushed Bills quarterback Davis Webb, getting a hit on him as he made his throw.
Undrafted rookie Tavante Beckett recorded one tackle but was otherwise a non-factor in this game.
Cornerbacks Ifeatu Melifonwu, A.J. Parker and Jerry Jacobs
As mentioned earlier, Melifonwu did a great job at blitzing and being able to open up a clear path to the quarterback for his linebackers. He did have some struggles in man coverage, including allowing a catch by Buffalo’s Duke Williams that allowed them to kick a field goal right before the end of the first half.
Parker had a much bigger role in this game than many expected. Despite being an undrafted rookie and having several more experienced players who could be in the role, Parker was the first-team nickel defensive back. He only recorded one tackle, but was on the field for all four quarters, taking about one-third of defensive snaps.
Jacobs also saw his fair share of time on defense, but his most notable play was a great effort as a gunner against a Bills punt return that would have pinned them inside their twenty-yard line. Unfortunately, a rookie mistake was made as Jacobs went helmet-to-helmet with the returner, drawing a penalty.
