Tag: alim mcneill

Lions PFF grades: Best and worst players against the Ravens

The Detroit Lions PFF grades are in and here are the best and worst performers against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 3.

The Detroit Lions were in the midst of nailing their first victory of the season until Justin Tucker did some nailing of his own, hitting a record-setting 66-yard field goal to give the Baltimore Ravens a 19-17 victory over the Lions. Even with the controversy surrounding the game, the Lions were able to contain a dangerous Ravens offense for the most part and seemed up to the battle against a potential Super Bowl contender.

Heading into Week 4 against division rival, the Chicago Bears, the Lions will look to build upon the foundations and mend the potential cracks before they get out of control.

Here are the Lions best and worst players from their Week 3 matchup against the Ravens.

Lions’ Levi Onwuzurike and Alim McNeill rank high among rookie defensive linemen

The Detroit Lions doubled down on defensive tackles, Levi Onwuzurike and Alim McNeill, in the draft and looks to be paying early dividends

When General Manager Brad Holmes decided to double down on defensive tackles with back-to-back picks in the 2021 NFL draft with the selections of Levi Onwuzurike and Alim McNeill, it was a head-scratching moment for everyone. The Detroit Lions clearly had other weak areas that needed addressing (i.e., wide receiver and safety). This seemed more like a luxury selection instead of allocating assets to more than one position.

So far, it looks like Holmes has the last laugh. Through the preseason, Onwuzurike and McNeill rank in the top 5 in PFF’s overall defensive grading amongst defensive line rookies with a 90.5 grade and 74.6 grade, respectively. To add context, Onwuzurike has only played 17 snaps through one game, and McNeill has 23 snaps through two games, which rank as second and third lowest, respectively, among that same class. Either way, you can see the talent surrounding these two players and how much they will look to make an impact now and in the future for the Lions.

If you could pick one player who exceeded all expectations through training camp and preseason, you don’t have to look any further than “Mr. Twinkle Toes” himself. McNeill was expected to compete with John Penisini as the team’s starting nose tackle throughout camp. Still, with Penisini’s injuries keeping him out, McNeill took over the reins with star-studded fashion. His superior athleticism and discipline give him the versatility to be equally effective anywhere on the interior defensive line as a pass rusher and run defender.

Even his defensive line coach, Todd Wash, was taken back by how he adapted so quickly.

“He’s better than I thought when we drafted him, to be honest. I think we would all say that. We knew he was a heck of a run defender. He’s stout at the point, but he’s a lot better athlete than he showed on tape, which for us was unbelievable. He’s not just an A-gap to A-gap player, so if he can continue to get better—we got to keep a thumb on him—I think he can be an exceptional nose guard in this league in time.”

The opportunities going up against one of the best centers in the NFL in Frank Ragnow consistently has allowed McNeill to grow as a player and quickly develop the tools that will allow him to be a disruptive force on the defensive line. At this point, expectations are high for McNeill from the coaches and himself in hopes that he continues this dominance through the regular season and wreck opposing offenses.

As for Onwuzurike, the coaches were cautious with the second-round selection with a lingering back injury, so we didn’t get to see him make the immediate impact as McNeill did. This led some people to think he wouldn’t be ready to start the regular season playing catch-up and getting acclimated to NFL speed. However, he was able to put that rest real quick and in a hurry with an impressive showing in camp where it seemed he spend all day in the backfield disrupting play after play releasing all the energy like a wound toy up waiting to be released.

He continued that dominance against the Pittsburgh Steelers, wreaking havoc whenever he got the chance to, recording two pressures on ten pass-rushing snaps, and added a run stop in for good measure. He might’ve not flashed on the stat sheet, but he was a force in the interior, making the Steeler offensive line miserable to contain him. Being this was his first taste of football in over a year with his 2020 opt-out, most would say he performed very well, but being his own critic, he knows he still has some kinks to overcome.

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“I think I did solid, not where I wanted to be 100%. I didn’t play to my standard. Obviously, getting back to the things from feeling tired on the field. But I think a solid day, nothing crucial. I feel like I am ready for it. I think today was something real good to get in, feel good, you know, fill your body out, take double teams, feel all that, so it usually only takes one game. Obviously, this next upcoming preseason game will be huge for that, but I think we’re good.”

We know coach Campbell will not be playing most of his starters in the preseason finale against the Indianapolis Colts; it’ll be interesting to see what kind of action Onwuzurike and McNeill get. He wants to get the reps in for the young players, but you don’t want to run the risk with players you know will be leaning on throughout the season.

Nevertheless, the development for these two players has risen above most expectations heading in training camp and preseason. It is a breath of fresh light to see the players grow and make an almost immediate impact right from the jump, especially the debacles from last season. With the regular season right around the corner, surely these two are ready to be the disruptive forces they are meant to be and help elevate the Lions defense.

Winners and losers from Detroit Lions training camp through the 1st two weeks

With the first two weeks of training camp in the books for the Detroit Lions, here are some of the winners and losers thus far

Heading into the second week of training camp for the Detroit Lions, we get a feel for how players perform and how they will fit on the roster. We have a new coaching staff in place, it has been a completely different vibe than what was there previously. The team seems more lively and upbeat and not just doing drills for the sake of doing them.

Some of the players have risen to the challenge and risen above others to claim their stake on one of those coveted roster spots. On the other side of the coin, either injuries or competition has gotten the better of the players leaving to question their status.

Here some of the winners and losers so far through training camp.

Lions training camp notebook: The pads come on for Day 6

On a strong debut in pads from Alim McNeill, a fracas between rookies heading in different directions, the safety rotation and much more

The sixth practice of Lions training camp marked the first time the team appeared in full pads. Head coach Dan Campbell and his staff were excited to ramp up the action.

The focus was on the lines. It’s difficult to evaluate the offensive and defensive lines without full pads. After a prolonged period of individual positional drills, the offense vs. defense fired up and did not disappoint.

Here’s some of what we saw on a sunny Tuesday morning in Allen Park…

Alim McNeill: What scouting reports said before the draft about the Lions DT

What the scouts said about Detroit Lions third-round DT Alim McNeill of North Carolina State before the 2021 NFL draft

The Detroit Lions landed one of the more coveted players of the third round of the 2021 NFL draft in Alim McNeill. The defensive tackle from North Carolina State was in demand, and for good reason based upon the pre-draft scouting reports on McNeill.

In reviewing some of the more prominent scouting reports and profiles on McNeill from before the draft, a pretty clear picture emerges. The 6-foot-2, 317-pound nose tackle is consistent;y praised for his athleticism and upside. Here’s a sampling of what was said and written about McNeill before the draft.

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NFL.com

The league’s official site features draft profiles from Lance Zierlein, a longtime talent evaluator who grew up around the league. The player comparison is for Khalen Saunders, a third-round pick by the Chiefs in 2019 who was a key part of Kansas City’s defensive line rotation in the Super Bowl-winning season.

Zierlein writes of McNeill,

Sawed-off frame that lacks optimal length but carries plenty of base strength and upper-body explosiveness. McNeill lined up over the nose, which did him a bit of a disservice in relation to his athletic traits and overall strengths. He might not have the overall length and mass to withstand the rigors of two-gapping in the NFL, but he does have plus flexibility and fluidity for a big man and should create problems for centers as a shaded nose with the ability to attack or counter either A-gap. While he’s a good athlete and should test well, he’s not necessarily cat-quick and still relies more on power than first-step penetration quickness. He’s a likely rotational nose early in his career and has a chance to develop into a starter.

McNeill was listed as a second or third-round draft pick with a grade of 6.19, which lands in the “good backup who could become a starter” range.

Pro Football Focus

In its draft guide, PFF was quite complimentary toward McNeill’s growth as a run-stuffer in 2020. The move to playing more exclusively in the A-gap suited him well, per their analysis,

Every defense known to mankind can use a run-stuffing nose tackle who can also consistently collapse pockets. With McNeil’s explosiveness at 320 pounds, he could very well be that guy sooner rather than later. Even with little more than a first step in his repertoire, McNeil earned a 92.1 run defense grade and a 77.5 pass-rushing grade this season. He showed marked improvement holding up to double teams compared to 2019. In a weak defensive tackle class, McNeil could pay big dividends.

PFF is big on using bullet points for prospects. The positives included:

  • As quick a 320-plus pounder as you’ll see. Get-off that creates problems.
  • Role not great for pass-rushing production. Almost exclusively 0-technique.

There were some negatives as well,

  • Not sure he has anything considered a pass-rush move in his arsenal. Just charges.
  • Rushes the passer way too high. Spin moves looked like a figure skater.
  • Big difference between him fresh and late in a series

Pro Football Focus still felt highly enough about McNeill to give him a second-round grade.

The Draft Network

The Draft Network team of evaluators ranked McNeill as their No. 82 overall player in the 2021 NFL draft class. Here’s what they said about the man the Lions snagged at No. 72 overall,

While there is some rawness that shows up to his game when it comes to technique and processing skills, McNeill is a powerful interior defender that is capable of controlling and resetting the line of scrimmage with his heavy hands and functional strength. While he wasn’t often asked to shoot gaps, he also has positive flashes of gap-penetration skills during his time at NC State. There is room for McNeill to grow as a pass rusher, but as it stands, his variety of rush moves and rush plan is underdeveloped. For a team in need of a short-yardage and early-down run stuffer that has a ceiling to develop into a more effective pass rusher, McNeill is a terrific mid-round option.

Ourlads

Perhaps the loftiest preview of McNeill came from Ourlads and longtime NFL scout Dan Shonka, who ranked the converted RB as the No. 2 defensive tackle in the class. Ourlads had McNeill well ahead of Lions’ second-round pick Levi Onwuzurike in its rankings.

Written in scout-speak, here is Shonks’a evaluation on McNeill,

Has played in multiple defensive schemes that had him play in multiple roles. The transition from 4-3 to 3-4 made the assumption his production would go down, but it went in the opposite direction. While he did prove he can two-gap inside, his upfield burst and explosion provided an extra punch to his game that can make him useable in many schemes. There is some skill development that needs to take place when it comes to hand usage and lateral balance, but this is a player who will play like a boulder against the run and a missile against the pass. Not an easy combination to find.

Has a frame that is nearly as wide as it is tall. Uses that square-type body
along with a low center of gravity to take up both space and blockers alike. A two-gapper with immense power and strength. Has sneaky speed and quickness that will chase action down from behind when the opportunity is there. Can get out of his stance in a hurry, putting a blocker on his heels and gaining the initial advantage. Plays a strong lockout game while deciphering what the offense is doing. Is a straight-line athlete. His surprising athleticism does not translate to all facets of the game. Tight hips won’t always maximize leverage and leg drive after the initial engagement. Needs to use his hands better after first contact.

The 8.40 grade lands McNeill squarely in the middle of the second round and portends a starting-caliber player early in hi scareer.

The Athletic/Dane Brugler

In his annual “Beast”, longtime NFL evaluator Dane Brugler ranked McNeill his No. 7 defensive tackle and gave him a third-round assessment. Here’s the skinny version of the report,

A two-year starter at NC State, McNeill was the nose tackle in defensive coordinator Tony Gibson’s 3-3-5 scheme, lining up primarily head up over the center. A 260-pound linebacker and running back in high school, he transitioned to defensive tackle for the Wolfpack without losing his explosiveness, earning a spot on Bruce Feldman’s Freaks List. With his low center of gravity and heavy hands, McNeill can stack the point of attack, discard and pursue the football. He has the first-step quickness to shoot gaps, but his pass rush instincts and counter measures are currently undeveloped when he doesn’t win off the ball.

Overall, McNeill is not yet the sum of his parts and he needs to turn the flashes into better production, but his moldable raw traits are unique. He projects as a one-gap tackle with Javon Hargrave-like upside.

Brugler is the second source, along with PFF,  to bring up a comparison to Javon Hargrave, who was a third-round pick by the Steelers in 2016 and quickly established himself as one of the most disruptive nose tackles in the NFL.

Alim McNeill wanted to keep wearing No. 29 at DT

McNeill wanted to keep wearing 29 but the NFL won’t allow it

Lions rookie defensive tackle Alim McNeill famously wore No. 29 while playing in college at North Carolina State. But the NFL doesn’t allow defensive linemen to wear any number below 50, so Detroit’s third-round pick had to find a new jersey number.

He settled on rocking No. 54 in Detroit, which is also an odd number for a nose tackle but fits within the league’s parameters.

In his post-minicamp press conference on Sunday, I asked McNeill if he would have kept the 29 jersey if the NFL allowed it.

“I would have 100 percent kept it if I could,” McNeill said with a smile. “I’m gonna see if I can create my own rule for that (joking).”

He then explained why he chose No. 54, a number made famous in Detroit by linebacker Chris Spielman, who was quite visible at practices as a special assistant to the team.

“54 was just, it was the lowest number out of the options that I was given, so I chose it,” McNeill stated.

If the NFL expands the available number pool for defensive linemen to allow for McNeill to wear 29 again, expect him to make the change.

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Lions sign third-round pick Alim McNeill to 4-year contract

McNeill will earn $660,000 in 2021 salary that escalates over the 4 years

The Detroit Lions have made their first official signing of a member of the team’s 2021 draft class. Third-round defensive tackle Alim McNeill signed his rookie contract on Thursday.

The four-year deal includes a signing bonus of $1,090,312 on top of a 2021 base salary of $660,000. All rookie contracts are effectively predetermined by the league’s collective bargaining agreement, though the third round picks do have a little bit of wiggle room. McNeill maxed out his potential earnings on his rookie contract.

McNeill, who turned 21 this week, will be in attendance for the Lions’ rookie minicamp this weekend. The running back-turned-nose tackle played collegiately at North Carolina State.

Alim McNeill reveals his Lions jersey choice on his 21st birthday

McNeill celebrated his 21st by revealing his Lions jersey number

New Detroit Lions defensive tackle Alim McNeill celebrated his 21st birthday on Tuesday, May 11th. The third-round nose tackle celebrated by giving fans a gift.

McNeill revealed the jersey number he will wear in Detroit.

Fans looking to get a McNeill jersey can order his No. 54, based on his Instagram post. It’s a nontraditional number for a nose tackle, but that’s nothing new for McNeill. He rocked No. 29 at North Carolina State after converting from running back to the defensive line.

No. 54 in Detroit represents Chris Spielman to many fans. Spielman is now the team’s special assistant in the front office. That number was last worn by linebacker Steve Longa in 2019.

https://www.instagram.com/p/COvEIu6FlH7/

Happy birthday, rookie!

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Lions GM Brad Holmes looks to have sniped a player from the Eagles

The Detroit Lions have endured players getting sniped before their pick in the draft, but GM Brad Holmes might’ve done it himself

With the 2021 NFL Draft wrapped up, GM Brad Holmes looks to have nailed his first draft for the Detroit Lions. They have been getting universal praise for selecting players who not only fit with the knee-biting culture but a new focus on athleticism.

Holmes stuck to his draft board and let the draft fall to him and, in most cases, getting solid value for where he selected the players. He got big in trenches and added speed in multiple facets.

As Lions fans, we have grown accustomed to hearing stories of teams snipping a player just a few spots earlier, leaving them scrambling and frustrated. From the looks of it, not only did Holmes show to be a natural at drafting, he knows how to read the draft tea leaves and pulled a heist himself.

A video surfaced recently of the Eagles war room after their third-round selection, and boy, do they look mad and frustrated even with Eagles GM Howie Roseman trying to lift spirits.

A little background before all this occurred. The Eagles made a trade with the Carolina Panthers and dropped down three spots from 70 to 73, feeling the player they were targeting would fall to them, specifically a defensive tackle.

Right in front of them was the Lions, who just took a defensive tackle a round before, so they must’ve felt comfortable at that spot to get the player they had their sights set on. Unfortunately for them, the Lions had other plans when they selected their second defensive tackle in as many rounds with Alim McNeill, who looks likes the Eagles wanted.

The Eagles then immediately took DT Milton Williams with the 73rd pick, but it looks like they may have had their hearts set on McNeill from the get-go, turning the Eagles war room sour real quick feeling they had the player in hand with McNeill but had to settle with Williams.

The Eagles tried to play the trade back, hoping to gain more capital and better value for the selection, but it looks like it didn’t work in their favor. Honestly, if they coveted McNeill that highly, there isn’t that big of a difference between 70 and 73 and should’ve stuck their guns, but it looks like they outsmarted themselves.

As Lions fans, we have grown with heartbreak after heartbreak, but to see they might have fleeced the Eagles out a player they were to draft to have the rug ripped right out from is a small moral victory especially after a strong showing at the draft.

1-tech defensive tackle prospects for Cowboys to consider throughout draft

Tim Lettiero reviews seven 1-tech defensive tackles who can contribute as a run defender in each round in the upcoming 2021 NFL Draft.

Over the years, few notable names have been brought in to boost the run defense. With Dan Quinn creating a shift in the culture bringing in the likes of Brent Urban, there is hope for the future. With a horrid 2020 campaign in the run stuffing department, the Dallas Cowboys simply must address the position they so frequently are known for ignoring.

Antwaun Woods has shown the ability to be an energetic body off the bench but he is coming off a down year, often given no help by lackluster performances from fellow teammates who have now moved onwards like Dontari Poe. Woods is in desperate need of a rotational partner at minimum and this draft is the perfect opportunity to do so with many viable options throughout the rounds. Here are some names to keep in mind when the Dallas Cowboys are up in each round of the 2021 NFL draft: