Tag: Amon-Ra St. Brown

Dan Campbell offers great insight on practice fights and why he liked Tuesday’s scrap between Amon-Ra St. Brown and Ifeatu Melifonwu

Dan Campbell offers great insight on practice fights and why he liked Tuesday’s scrap between Amon-Ra St. Brown and Ifeatu Melifonwu, a nuanced explanation that the national media doesn’t want you to see

Before Tuesday’s practice session, Lions head coach Dan Campbell shared an anecdote about his time as a member of the Dallas Cowboys. Then-Dallas coach Bill Parcells commanded Campbell, a no-nonsense tight end, to pick a fight in a training camp practice with Greg Ellis, one of the toughest guys on the team.

Campbell shared the story with the message that while he didn’t want his players to go out of their way to mix it up, he wouldn’t necessarily mind a little edginess. And he got just that in Tuesday’s practice.

Rookies Ifeatu Melifonwu and Amon-Ra St. Brown exchanged blows after a feisty special teams rep. The fight was quickly contained and neither player was worse for the wear. Campbell was happy to see it, both the fight and the quick outcome.

“Yeah, I mean, I was fired up,” Campbell said in Wednesday’s pre-practice media session. “Because they were competing, man. It was good to see both of them, two young bucks, go after it. They were, uh — look, we had a pretty good idea of Amon-Ra, you know? The Sun God? What he’s capable of? His aggressiveness shows up — it would show up on tape — in college. Look, this guy will mix it up. And there’s things you see with Iffy in school, but I didn’t quite know (about his aggression level). And to know he’s got, ‘Hey man, I’m not your punching bag,’ that encouraged me, it really did.”

It was nothing like the bench-clearing brawl that dominated the New York Giants practice session on Tuesday, one that ended with starting QB Daniel Jones at the bottom of a massive pileup of players swinging freely at anyone else in a uniform. St. Brown and Melifonwu continued practice, even going against each other, with no hard feelings. Here’s where Campbell’s nuanced tone, one that’s often ignored by the national media, really showed.

“Look, they know what we don’t want,” Campbell said. “It doesn’t mean we’re not going to have a couple of heated battles in there, but to me, where you end up having a problem is when you start having all-out brawls all practice long, and it’s like, ‘Oh my God, here we go. We got a 10-minute period, and 8 minutes of it is fighting amongst the team?’ It’s counterproductive, and you got to do something about it because you’re not getting work done. But those little things, I think, man, I just think they make you practice better, I think they make you practice harder. You don’t want to lose to that guy. You’re pissed off.”

Campbell continued, showing some real deep thought and maturity as a coach,

“I love it because it puts you to that point where you see red so much that you want to beat this guy, and yet you got to be under control enough to know that you can’t just go out there and throw a haymaker, if you will, as it relates to football, because that’s not what this is about. It’s no different than a game — you get so mad that, man, you go out there out of control? That’s not the game. You can’t win that way. But I do think that to be able to get pushed to that point, that limit, to where you’re going to do whatever it takes to beat that guy, and know that he’s going to try to do the same to you, I really believe that’s how you get better. I just do. So it was good. I thought they responded well, both of them.”

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…

Jared Goff teaching rookie WR Amon-Ra St. Brown how to play Cooper Kupp’s role with him

Goff is helping teach St. Brown the ways in which he and Cooper Kupp clicked in L.A.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbx8sj47vkwrznr player_id=none image=https://lionswire.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

Jared Goff had to leave behind some pretty good wide receivers when he was traded from the Los Angeles Rams to the Detroit Lions. But Goff is making the best of his new team and trying to help mold one of his new receivers in the style of his favorite Rams target.

Rookie Amon-Ra St. Brown discussed how well he’s getting along with Goff, and how Goff is teaching him the same routes and techniques of Cooper Kupp, who was Goff’s favorite wideout in Los Angeles.

“I love Jared. He’s awesome, awesome dude,” St. Brown said via Rams Wire. “Great quarterback who understands the game. He’s taught me some things about certain routes and things Cooper Kupp did with him back with the Rams that he loved. He checks in on me. He’s actually out here in Los Angeles now, so we’ll try to link up and catch some balls.

“He’s a great quarterback who knows the game. I can’t wait to play with him.”

Kupp caught nearly 200 passes in the last two seasons from Goff, and the two were close friends off the field as well. If St. Brown can get any of that chemistry with Goff in Detroit, the Lions receiving corps could have itself a real find in the fourth-rounder from USC.

[listicle id=58582]

Eagles’ rookie DeVonta Smith lands behind Amon-Ra St. Brown in CBS Sports WR Rankings

Eagles rookie DeVonta smith lands behind the Lions Amon-Ra St. Brown in CBS Sports WR Rankings

Young productive wide receivers are all the rage in today’s NFL and as the Eagles prepare for Nick Sirianni’s first training camp as head coach, they’ll have the most prepared pass catcher on their roster.

CBS Sports recently ranked the NFL’s rookie receivers by expected impact and in a surprise to many, Smith landed behind the Lions Amon-Ra St. Brown as the No. 4 ranked pass catcher on the list.

The ranking appeared to be more of a shot at Jalen Hurts potential and less about Smith’s ability to transition as a rookie.

Lions sign Amon-Ra St. Brown to his rookie deal

Lions sign Amon-Ra St. Brown to his rookie deal

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbx8sj47vkwrznr player_id=none image=https://lionswire.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

Thursday was a busy day in Allen Park. Three members of the rookie draft class of 2021 signed with the team.

Second-round pick Levi Onwuzurike and fourth-rounder Derrick Barnes each signed their contracts. Not long after they inked their deals, another fourth-round pick locked in his first NFL deal. Wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown also agreed to terms and signed his contract.

All the deals were essentially non-negotiable as part of the rookie wage scale. St. Brown’s signing leaves just third-round CB Ifeatu Melifonwu as the only unsigned member of GM Brad Holmes’ first draft class in Detroit.

[vertical-gallery id=62455]

Lions need to focus on development instead of depth in 2021

The 2021 Detroit Lions need to emphasize young player development over trying to compete with low-end veterans

One of the takeaways that didn’t make the top four as I drove home from Detroit Lions minicamp was the rather startling lack of proven NFL depth at a number of positions across the Lions roster.

The reality hit me when I was mentally sorting the running backs. D’Andre Swift is in his second season, and he looks very impressive in the receiving drills in the early portions of the offseason. Newcomer Jamaal Williams is also looking special as a receiver (they’re not allowed to tackle or play behind an OL yet, so actually running the ball is still just theoretical).

After that? Seventh-rounder Jermar Jefferson, first-year newcomer Michael Warren and undrafted rookie Dedrick Mills round out the RB room. Warren played exactly two reps on special teams for the Washington Football Team in 2020 as an undrafted free agent from Cincinnati. That represents the entire NFL experience behind Swift and Williams.

It’s incredibly frustrating when factoring in the significant amount of draft capital the past regime spent on running backs, but that’s for a different story. It has led to an intensely tepid public courtship of veteran Todd Gurley and his arthritic knees, which have since marched onto Baltimore after nothing materialized in Detroit in 10 days.

Nothing against Gurley, who was the best all-around RB in football in 2017-2018, but it’s a good thing the Lions haven’t broken character and signed him. And the reason why is in that last sentence: it’s not 2017-2018 anymore. It’s 2021. These Lions are at the beginning of a major overhaul with a new regime from ownership at the top down to the interns in the media relations department.

Is Todd Gurley a better running back in 2021 than Dedrick Mills or Jermar Jefferson? Probably. But upgrading the No. 3 RB spot with a past-his-prime veteran isn’t what this Lions team needs. One of the reasons we’re here is because the last regime decided it was a good idea to cut 2020 fifth-round rookie Jason Huntley before he ever played. Just for good measure they also dumped 2019 sixth-rounder Ty Johnson–the team’s most effective RB as a rookie–too. They did that to bring in Adrian Peterson.

Was Peterson more effective for the 2020 Lions than Johnson or Huntley would have been? For sure; Peterson proved he still had some gas in the old tank. But it certainly didn’t help drive the Lions to success. And because of the decision to chase past glory instead of developing young talent, the roster is that much more barren now because of it.

It’s time for the new Lions under GM Brad Holmes to stop that maddening carousel of clout-chasing, of eschewing the tougher task of player development in the name of spackling veteran putty over cracked walls with rotten studs. It’s time to rebuild the studs, and maybe find some through actual coaching and attention to a longer-term vision.

It’s even truer at wide receiver. If the season started today, the Lions would trot out an 11 (1 RB 3WR) package of Swift in the backfield and new QB Jared Goff throwing to Tyrell Williams, Breshad Perriman and Kalif Raymond.

Here’s what those receivers produced in 2020, none of them in Detroit:

Williams (now age 29): Missed the season with injury.

Perriman (27): 30 catches on 60 targets, 505 yards, 3 TDs, 3 drops. One game (vs. NE) produced 5 catches, 101 yards and 2 of the TDs.

Raymond (27 in August): 9 catches on 16 targets, 187 yards, no TDs, 3 drops.

Williams’ playing history, his Chargers experience with new Lions OC Anthony Lynn and early performance with the Lions dictate that he’s a big part of the mix. Based on the last two weeks it’s very clear Williams is the most talented wide receiver in Detroit.

As for Perriman and Raymond? Rather than repeat the RB mistakes of the past regime, learn from them. The Lions of 2022 and beyond are better if fourth-round rookie Amon-Ra St. Brown and last year’s sixth-rounder, Quintez Cephus, are playing instead of them. Even if Perriman and Raymond are better in the offense right now, the Lions need to learn if St. Brown and Cephus can rise above that and be a part of the future.

(Raymond looks like the clear front-runner for the return specialist job, by the way, and his value to Detroit this year is in that capacity)

Then there is the trio of UDFA rookies: Jonathan Brown, Javon McKinley and Sage Surratt. All three were players projected to be drafted as high as the fourth round just a month out from the 2021 NFL draft. All have shown at least some spark in the last three weeks in Allen Park.

There is no purpose in playing Perriman or Geronimo Allison or Damion Ratley over any of those guys. Any short-term benefit they might offer the new-look offense is outweighed by the need to develop some actual depth in Detroit. Cephus had a great day in camp on Tuesday. Build on that. Surratt destroyed smaller coverage in reps all week. That’s something to work with.

Unless there is a radically clear difference in skill level between the older veteran and the young up-and-comer, there’s absolutely no reason to choose the veteran. Now at tight end, 35-year-old Darren Fells makes an exception.

Fells clearly better at all facets of his position than youngsters Charlie Taumoepeau or Jake Hausmann, and he’s also quickly proven to be a worthy mentor for budding star T.J. Hockenson. A year ago with Jesse James as the No. 2 TE, none of that would have been true. Fells is different, and that’s the kind of case-by-case exception that Holmes, head coach Dan Campbell and the Lions need to value. The likes of Taumoepeau and Hausmann are vying with Alize Mack for the No. 3 spot. Based on the early observations they’re not close to winning that role from the promising young Mack.

By giving the youngsters the keys to the car, the Lions can drive forward with some viable young depth that gains valuable experience. Sure, they might crash here and there. But this season’s Lions are the NFL’s version of a student-driver car: a no-frills learning experience designed to help build for something bigger and better–in due time–for everyone involved.

By teaching the rules of the NFL road to budding young developmental players like Surratt, Jefferson, OT Matt Nelson and LB Tavante Beckett, the Lions just might find something worth keeping. Doing that helps end the cycle of bringing in has-been veterans past their primes, and their primes often weren’t great to begin with. This Detroit coaching staff is loaded with former players who have quickly shown a hands-on approach and enthusiasm for working with players. Utilize that to see what the revamped scouting department and front office can find instead of scouring the scrapyard for what other teams didn’t want anymore.

That’s the culture change I want from Holmes and the 2021 Lions.

[lawrence-related id=62559]

Amon-Ra St. Brown’s versatility at wide receiver is a big asset for the Lions

St. Brown can line up at any WR spot and might get a chance to do so in Detroit

Amon-Ra St. Brown joins a Lions receiving corps that is in major flux. With the top four wideouts from 2020 now all playing elsewhere, the receiving corps is at the beginning of a radical overhaul. Finding who fits where is one of the big challenges for head coach Dan Campbell, offensive coordinator Anthony Lynn and WR coach Antwaan Randle-El.

In a situation like that, being able to play multiple wide receiver spots is an invaluable trait. That’s where St. Brown’s versatility becomes a real asset.

The ability to line up at several different spots is something Lions head coach Dan Campbell stressed when talking about St. Brown in a recent interview on Sirius XM NFL Radio.

“He’s a competitor, he’s tough, he’s crafty, he’s smart, he’s versatile,” Campbell told hosts Pat Kirwan and Jim Miller. “He checks all these boxes. Is he a guy that’s going to run a 4.3? No, he’s not a 4.3 guy, but he plays fast, man. We just felt like he was an excellent addition. We think he can go in there and compete at slot receiver, but I think this kid has some outside flex to him, too. Just, again, we loved his approach.”

A look at his usage at USC shows the Trojans used St. Brown, 5-11 and 197 pounds, all over in his three seasons. From Pro Football Focus and PFF’s pre-draft guide,

St. Brown tended to make more big plays when breaking out of the slot, but his ability to present himself as a bigger target than he measures along the sidelines was something USC relied upon heavily in 2020.

Playing inside looks to be the easier path to playing time as a rookie. St. Brown is a more dynamic player than the one holdover from last year’s Lions, Quintez Cephus. Free agent signing Kalif Raymond is more of a one-dimensional speedster from the inside.

Playing outside could offer St. Brown a chance to prove himself as a change-of-pace for Breshad Perriman, who has incredible speed but an enigmatic overall experience in the NFL. He’s a lither target than Tyrell Williams on the outside, too.

The experience and ability to mix-and-match based on coverages is a real feather in St. Brown’s cap. He has some stylistic similarity to one of Lions QB Jared Goff’s favorite targets with the Rams, Cooper Kupp. If that chemistry develops early on, St. Brown could quickly move up the Detroit depth chart.

[lawrence-related id=61647]

2021 NFL draft: Best remaining options for Colts on Day 3

Best remaining options for the Colts on Day 3.

The Indianapolis Colts are now in the final day of the 2021 NFL draft where they are slated to have four picks even though general manager Chris Ballard could very well add more to that by the end of the day.

The Colts bolstered their defensive line through the first two rounds of the draft. Their third-round pick was given to the Philadelphia Eagles as a part of the deal for quarterback Carson Wentz.

Indy added former Michigan edge rusher Kwity Paye in the first round and doubled down by adding former Vanderbilt defensive lineman Dayo Odeyingbo in the second round.

Here’s a look at the best remaining options for the Colts on Day 3 of the draft:

10 players the Lions could target Day 3 of 2021 NFL Draft

The Detroit Lions will look to round out their 2021 NFL Draft heading into Day 3 and some of these players may interest the Lions

We have arrived at the final day of the 2021 NFL Draft, and the Detroit Lions have only two selections, one in the fourth (112) and one in fifth (153), to either try to fill any remaining gaps or make a particular unit that much stronger.

GM Brad Holmes has been content on staying put and allow the draft to come to him, so it might be slim he works a trades to accumulate further picks. He was able to address some weak points on defense with Levi Onwuzurike to play the 3-tech, Alim McNeill at the nose, and Ifeatu Melifonwu as a versatile press corner.

Holmes is sticking to his board, taking the best players he feels could help the team versus reaching for needs and pigeonholing them in any way. Some of the needs they might address in Day 3 are wide receiver, linebacker, or safety.

Here are a few players that could pique the interest of the Lions front office and put a stamp on what has been a solid draft so far.

Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR, USC

St. Brown is projected to fit best in the slot, but it is not out of the realm he could push outside as well. Even though he is on the smaller end, he makes up for it with a competitive streak that coaches will love. He has strong route-running ability, tracks the ball with ease, and could become a returner as well if asked.

Jabril Cox, LB, LSU

The Lions have put a premium on athleticism this draft, and Cox is filled up to the rim with it. He is one of the more athletic linebackers allowing to cover in any scheme coverage. Due to his size, he may struggle with blocks and run defending, but he could potentially turn into a three-down defender with his strong character and athletic ability.

Tylan Wallace, WR, Oklahoma State

Wallace had a very productive career at Oklahoma State, racking up 3,316 yards and 26 touchdowns during his collegiate career leading his team in yards the last two years. He is a route tactician allowing him to find the gaps in coverage and put himself to make the catch with strength and catch radius. He may lack size and not have the greatest speed, but he is a versatile receiver that can line up inside and outside and make the strong contested catch.

Hamsah Nasirildeen, S, Florida State

When Nasirildeen walks into the room, you notice him with a towering figure that gives the edge especially playing safety. He has the physicality to make his presence felt and a toughness that is unmeasurable. He finds himself in trouble from time with his route anticipation and eye discipline lacking while suffering a torn ACL late in 2019, affecting his 2020 status. Still, he has the character and versatility to make it has a hybrid safety while seeing time on special teams.

Jamar Johnson, S, Indiana

A player most thought to be off the board by now is sitting there as a top player heading into Day 3 that the Lions could be eyeing. He was primarily lining up as a free safety in Indiana; he has versatility and size to play in the box and split up the duties. He may shy away from tackling, but his range and ball skills would make him an interesting option to play alongside Tracy Walker.

Trey Smith, G, Tennessee

The Lions have stocked the cupboard with some massive players so far this draft, and it wouldn’t be out of the question they could make another individual that brings the offensive line its final piece. He is a mauler upfront and not afraid to knock you in the chin and could fill in a tackle in a pinch. For a big man, though, he may not have the best body control, and recovering from blood clots in his lung may take him, draft boards. If everything is clear, the Lions could have their guard of the future.

Derrick Barnes, LB, Purdue

He may not look like the prototypical linebacker measuring at only 6 feet; he does have a wicked skill set that makes him valuable as an outside linebacker in coverage or play off the edge. He can find a valuable home as a core special teamer while playing certain defensive situations with his high motor, length, and reaction skills.

Simi Fehoko, WR, Stanford

He is one of the older players on the circuit, but his ball skills make him a very enticing player in the later rounds worth developing. He has excellent body control and reliable hands, with most of his catches resulting in a first down or touchdown. He can line up inside or outside depending on the situation with his impressive short-area quickness while seeing some at special teams while he improves his route running,

Quincy Roche, Edge, Miami

There is no denying the production Roche was able to produce in college, racking up 30.5 sacks during his time at Temple and Miami. With his high motor and first-step quickness, he gains that valuable edge to make the highlight plays in the backfield. He might find a hard time adjusting to the NFL with his average length, especially against NFL tackles, but he has the effort and toughness that could overcome those deficiencies.

Jacob Harris, TE, UCF

Even though he labeled as a tight end, he fits in that same category as Kyle Pitts as an offensive weapon, and his athleticism was on full display at his Pro Day, putting up numbers that only Pitts was able to muster. Now Harris was 30 pounds light than Pitts; the traits are there the coaches can harness. The production lacks only 49 catches and less than 1,000 yards in his career, but he can play as a valuable receiving threat that can mismatch all day.

Prospect for the Pack: USC WR Amon-Ra St. Brown

Breaking down the draft profile of USC WR Amon-Ra St. Brown, a potential pick of the Packers in the 2021 NFL draft.

Amon-Ra St. Brown, the younger brother of Green Bay Packers wide receiver Equanimeous St. Brown, is a potential early-round draft target who could address Green Bay’s long-standing need for a natural slot receiver.

Let’s take a look at the former Trojans’ draft resume and potential fit with the Packers:

As a junior in 2020, the youngest St. Brown brother put together a productive season, compiling 41 catches for 478 yards, 11.7 yards per reception and seven touchdowns in six games. With a full 13-game season in 2019, he racked up 1,042 yards, 13.5 yards per reception and six touchdowns on 77 receptions. In terms of career production, he provides a nice three-year sample size. On film, there’s plenty to like about the USC wideout, too.

First and foremost, St. Brown is a crafty route runner who understands how to set up breaks with subtle moves in his releases and route stems. He shows good high-point ability, strong hands and toughness to secure catches in traffic. He’s good at finding soft spots in zone coverage and he’ll work back to his quarterback on broken plays when needed. Against off coverage, he’ll work to a cornerback’s blind spot before breaking back inside or outside to create separation.

Against tight man coverage, he has enough quickness and nuance to create decent separation. Despite not having the greatest size or speed, he actually won down the field a fair amount in college. That specific part of his game may or may not translate to the pros, but if it does, it’s icing on the cake. After the catch, St. Brown is pretty average. He can break some arm tackles here and there, but he’s not especially elusive or fast. He’s not going to break many pursuit angles.

In 2020, St. Brown played a higher percentage of snaps as an outside receiver – likely to fill the void left by former USC teammate and current Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. In the slot, St. Brown appears to be more comfortable, but I think he can probably give you limited snaps on the outside. His lack of size and length definitely shows up at times when he has to deal with press/physical coverage, but that concern can be mitigated by limiting his snaps on the perimeter.

St. Brown performed well at the USC Pro Day in the agility drills (6.90s 3-cone and 4.26s short shuttle), jumps (38.5″ vertical, 10’7″ broad jump) and bench press (20 reps), but ran a pedestrian 4.59s 40-yard dash at 5-11 and 197 pounds. It’s not hard to envision general manager Brian Gutekunst and head coach Matt LaFleur liking the USC wide receiver’s skill set, but I’m guessing they’d prefer more speed from the slot for a player that’s going to be sharing the field with fellow 4.5 wide receivers in Davante Adams and Allen Lazard.

If teams pigeonhole St. Brown as a slot receiver and knock him down the board for below-average speed at his size, he could conceivably slip to the end of the third round. His ceiling might be the late second round. Ultimately, I think he will be picked somewhere in the third-round range. The fit certainly makes sense from a positional need standpoint and the value could be right if he falls further than expected.

The question is: would the Packers take St. Brown or pass on him for a faster wideout?

[listicle id=57163]