Lions front office honored with ‘Best Draft Award’ at NFL Scouting Combine

Lions front office honored with ‘Best Draft Award’ at NFL Scouting Combine for their 2023 draft haul

The 2023 draft class selected by the Detroit Lions has been heralded as one of the best on this site and by many in the media. At the NFL Scouting Combine, it was honored by those within and around the league.

Brad Holmes and his staff were awarded the “Best Draft Award” for their April selections. It was a class that was seen as risky or overreaching at the time, but in the end, the results spoke for themselves. The team found themselves in the NFC Championship game after winning their first division title in over 30 years.

Holmes made several moves on day one of the draft starting with a trade back to get extra picks before landing Jahmyr Gibbs and Jack Campbell in round one. Gibbs and Campbell both showed to be leaders on their respective sides of the ball with the Alabama running back looking to become one of the best at his position sooner rather than later.

The Lions general manager then proceeded to make even ore impactful selections on day two of th draft. Between rounds two and three, he would draft the record-breaking Sam LaPorta, Brian Branch, and Hendon Hooker.

LaPorta was ultized by playcaller Ben Johnson and quarterback Jared Goff all year as both a safety blanket option in the passing game but also as a game breaker when need be. Branch made his impact known from the start of the season when his pick-six against the Chiefs on the league’s opening night was just a sign of what was to come.

While Hendon Hooker din’t see the field in 2023, he is someone the franchise remains high on. Coming off a torn ACL in his final year in college, the team got what was seen as a first roudn talent in round three tht they have stashed for the future.

 

Detroit Lions best and worst PFF grades from the playoff win over the Bucs

Let’s take a look at the best and worst PFF graded players for the Detroit Lions in their victorious encounter with the Buccaneers.

Following their triumph over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Detroit Lions are now on the cusp of glory, eyeing the NFC Championship game against the San Francisco 49ers.

The victory was the result of a collective effort from all three phases, reflecting the Lions’ characteristic resilience in close matches. This team is built to adapt, with each phase compensating when one aspect takes a moment to find its rhythm. While key players delivered outstanding performances that propelled the Lions to victory, there were also areas where improvement is needed as they prepare to face San Francisco.

Let’s take a look at the best and worst PFF graded players for the Lions in their victorious encounter with the Buccaneers.

Lions Rookie Report: How did Detroit’s rookie class perform against the Buccaneers?

The Lions are now on their way to San Francisco to play in their first NFC championship game since 1991 in large part to their rookie class.

It got close at the end, but the Detroit Lions are on their way to the NFC Championship. They will be facing off against the San Francisco 49ers with a win securing them their first Super Bowl berth in franchise history.

The team came this far largely due to their rookie class and how quickly they have performed. Brad Holmes and his team aced their draft process and it should go down as one of the best draft classes in franchise history. One move in particular, drafting Jahmyr Gibbs 12th overall, now looks the best.

Gibbs had this as a potential breakout game. LaPorta showed no moment is too big for him. Meanwhile, Branch and Campbell showed they can make plays time and again.

Here is how they all fared in the second playoff game of their careers.

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Rookie Report: How the Lions rookies fared in their first playoff game

Rookie Report: How the Lions rookies fared in their first playoff game

Just as they did all season, the Detroit Lions 2023 rookie class showed up and made plays when they needed to. The magical season that this team has been on is thanks in large part to how they have played like seasoned veterans from the first game.

Brian Branch recorded a pick-six in his first game for the team, Sam LaPorta set rookie receiving records, and Jack Campbell filled box scores the way fans have filled seats.

All of these moments were just steps on a large journey that saw its next chapter begin on January 14, 2024, with the team hosting and winning its first playoff game. They must follow that up with another playoff game, again at home, in the divisional round. For now, let’s focus on the big win and how they helped secure it.

Lions rookie report: How they fared against the Vikings in week 18

Lions rookie report: How they fared against the Vikings in week 18

The Lions have clinched their first 12-win season since 1991 after defeating the Vikings in week 18. They couldn’t have done so without some rookies leading the way including a record-breaking performance.

The 2023 NFL Draft class for Brad Holmes and the Detroit Lions will be looked back upon as what turned the corner for this franchise. Even if they don’t last their entire careers in Detroit, they were a part of a culture change.

Dan Campbell announced earlier in the week he was going to keep his starters in for the game as they pursued the number two seed. They didn’t get that seed but they are coming away with a key injury to LaPorta.

His status for the wildcard round and beyond is uncertain, what is certain is the impact he made in the game, as well as others, to get them playing meaningful games in January.

Lions rookie report: How they fared against the Cowboys in Week 17

The Lions may not have come away with a gutsy win in Dallas but the rookie class showed they are ready for the national spotlight

Despite going for two not once but twice to get the win on the road, the Lions couldn’t secure it. The team made one heck of a drive to end the game with several big catches being made by breakout rookie Sam LaPorta. The performance of their top tight end and other rookies confirmed one thing though, this class is ready for the playoffs.

Brad Holmes and his scouting department have shown they can see what is needed immediately and long-term for his draft classes. The 2023 class is arguably the best in the entire NFL and now it is ready to show what it can do in the playoffs.

Dan Campbell has matured this group quickly, they showed they can think critically, and against Dallas, they played a major part in the comeback and near win.

Lions rookie report: How they fared vs. the Bears in Week 14

Breaking down how the Detroit Lions rookies fared vs. the Bears in Week 14

The Lions as a whole right now are struggling with a lot, the rookie class is part of that. While some have had flashes of excellence, the bunch collectively is finally playing like rookies. Which is okay, apart from it coming down the stretch of the season when the team should be out of this phase.

Jahmyr Gibbs has been Mr. Reliable since coming out of Alabama and being drafted 12th overall in April. Sam LaPorta has been on a feverish pace set to break some records as well but there are weeks he has disappeared.

On defense, Jack Campbel has been consistent but some glaring mishaps have let some big plays happen, especially against mobile quarterbacks. Brian Branch has been dealing with injuries but when he he has been on the field he has also fashed brilliance.

The class in general will be fine but they have hit some roadblocks in recent weeks. Sunday’s game against the Bears was arguably the worst of the lot of them.

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Jack Campbell stepped up in a big way against the Saints

Jack Campbell stepped up in a big way against the Saints, and Russell Brown breaks it down

When linebacker Alex Anzalone went down with a thumb injury two weeks ago, there were a lot of questions surrounding the player that was going to step up in his place. Some had thought it was going to be Derrick Barnes and others thought it was Jack Campbell. When Jack Campbell’s name was brought up, there was some hesitation with some fans.

Their reasoning was simple.

He was a rookie that was playing with hesitation and was missing tackles in previous games. But most importantly, he had big shoes to fill. Trying to replace Anzalone is tough to do in this Lions defense. He’s an experienced player that comes from this defensive system during his days with the New Orleans Saints. Meanwhile, Anzalone leads the Lions with 87 tackles this season.

Certainly, the pressure got put on the shoulders of the rookie linebacker from Iowa. But he thrived in the situation and stepped up to the plate in a big way for the Lions defense. Let’s review the tape of Jack Campbell’s performance against the New Orleans Saints.

Starting with the first play that really stood out on tape was the one above. The Saints come out with their 11 personnel (one running back and one tight end) and prior to the snap, they motion a receiver on a jet-motion. Faking the jet, the quarterback goes to hand the ball off to the running back.

For the Lions, they come out in their nickel package with their inside linebackers being Derrick Barnes (LB 55) and Jack Campbell (LB 46). Aligned in a ’30’ technique (B-gap) is Campbell. Despite sliding inside a gap to account for the motion, Campbell does a great job reading the quarterback.

Campbell knows the hand-off to the running back is about to happen and he immediately gets downhill and attacks the ballcarrier. It’s a tremendous fill and tackle by Campbell and as you can see, he was pretty fired up about it. This play just goes to show some of the instincts and overall ability that he has as a player.

The next play I want to focus on is the one above where Campbell does a great job reading QB power. Looking at that play, the Saints come out of a shotgun formation with their Swiss army knife, Taysom Hill (TE/QB 7).

As you can see, Jack Campbell and Malcolm Rodriguez are the inside linebackers as the Lions come out in their nickel package. Aligned in the A-gap (between the left guard and center) is Campbell. Prior to the snap, Hill motions a receiver out of the backfield and away from him.

Once the ball is snapped, Campbell appears to blitz but honestly, I think he’s reading Hill the entire way. He presses the line-of-scrimmage and takes away any potential cutback lane for Hill. In the process, he grabs ahold of the legs of Hill and doesn’t let go. This play perfectly sums up how Campbell played throughout much of this game. Scratching and clawing his way to every ball to find ways to make a play for the defense.

Lastly, I want to focus on some of the pass coverage from Jack Campbell in this game. Against the Saints, he was targeted four times and allowed three receptions for 46 yards. Throughout the season, he’s allowed 20 receptions for 199 yards and two touchdowns.

When watching Campbell throughout the season, he’s been doing well in coverage. Despite playing with hesitation in some of his drops, he’s right there every single week. With more time, Campbell will start transitioning his position from just good coverage to interceptions and pass breakups.

Looking at the play above, he’s covering one of the best pass catching backs in the league in Alvin Kamara. The Saints come out 2×2 with a condensed set to the right of their formation. Meanwhile, the Lions come out in their nickel package with Jalen Reeves-Maybin and Jack Campbell. As the routes develop downfield, the Lions are in good coverage and Carr quickly checks this down to Kamara.

While it appears that Kamara is juggling the football prior to catching it, Campbell was with him every step of the way. He closes any separation that is between him and the running back and he makes a good open field tackle. This was a good stop for the Lions and it setup 3rd down.

Overall, Jack Campbell has been progressing every single week. He looked comfortable “manning” the middle of the Lions defense and it wouldn’t be surprising if it’s something that happens a little bit more down the stretch. Especially if Anzalone isn’t going to be playing at 100% each week. Regardless, there’s been a lot of promising signs from Campbell throughout his rookie season but his performance against the Saints was his best by far.

Jack Campbell, Sam LaPorta highest-graded NFL Week 13 rookies per PFF

Adjusting to the NFL is going swimmingly for Jack Campbell and Sam LaPorta. The Lions’ youngsters are the highest-graded Week 13 rookies.

Some say that the transition from the collegiate ranks to the NFL can take some time and be a large adjustment for players. While that is true for many players, two former Iowa Hawkeyes are bucking the trend and performing like seasoned NFL veterans already.

Two rookies, Jack Campbell and Sam LaPorta, are paying huge dividends to the Detroit Lions early in their careers and are a huge part of the Lions’ 9-3 record and their best start in 60 years. The two are helping the Lions on their march to the playoffs and perhaps the NFC’s No. 1 seed.

Coming down the stretch of the NFL season, these two are elevating their play. Jack Campbell was graded out as the NFL’s highest-graded rookie linebacker in Week 13 per Pro Football Focus.

On the season, Jack Campbell has appeared in all 12 games while starting eight. He has 60 total tackles, a sack, and arguably most importantly, has recently begun to call the plays for the defense which highlights his high-level football IQ.

Not to be outdone, Sam LaPorta is doing the same on the offensive side of the ball for the Lions. Pro Football Focus has Sam LaPorta as the highest-graded rookie overall from Week 13.

LaPorta is up to 64 receptions, 679 yards, and six touchdowns early in his NFL career. His average yards per catch of 10.6 make him a walking first down. He is second in tight end receptions in the NFL, fourth in yards, and tied for first in touchdowns. The rookie is already performing among some of the best tight ends in the game.

The Lions struck gold with these two Iowa Hawkeyes and appear to be set up at the tight end and middle linebacker position for quite a while

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Lions vs. Saints: What I learned from film study of Detroit’s Week 13 road win

Lions vs. Saints: What I learned from film study of Detroit’s Week 13 road win

Sunday’s road win in New Orleans was an important one for the Detroit Lions. Dan Campbell’s team raced out to a dominant first few minutes, seizing a 21-0 lead before fans got out of the beer line at the concessions.

The Saints settled in and were the better team for the better part of the remainder. The Lions defense made a couple of plays and the offense reawakened just enough to carry Detroit to a 33-28 road win.

Here’s what I picked up from film study of the game, reviewing the broadcast feed and the All-22 coach’s tape.