Tag: Jalen Elliott

Quotes from the Lions’ beat: Praise for rookies during early days of training camp

During the first few days of Detroit Lions’ 2020 training camp, local beat writers have had lots of praise for the team’s rookies.

With no Spring camp, no preseason, and limited practices, rookies across the NFL were expected to be playing behind the eight-ball entering training camp.

“A lot of the rookies we’re trying to take it slow with,” Detroit Lions coach Matt Patricia said after Monday’s practice. “There’s a lot of information that they have to learn and certainly from a standpoint of being on the field for the first time in an NFL practice with pads on, there’s definitely just a lot coming at those guys from different directions.”

Despite the accelerated learning curve, and the Lions taking a slow approach, several Lions’ rookies have looked ahead of schedule during the early portions of training camp.

Lions Wire has yet to be out to Lions training camp this offseason — our turn in the rotation begins on Friday — but for now, let’s take a look at what the rest of the Lions beat writers have had to say through the first two practices.

Jonah Jackson starting at RG

Third-round pick Jonah Jackson was starting at right guard on Day 1 of padded practices and his consistent play earned positive remarks from all the Lions beat.

At his post-practice press conference, Patricia made sure to acknowledge that the guards have been rotating in training camp. “Really, Oday (Aboushi) and Kenny (Wiggins) and those guys have been working through there previous to getting out there today, so it’s kind of just a rotational thing that wound up being the first day of pads.”

But went he Lions took the field for the second day of practice, Jackson was once again holding down the starting position at right guard.

Quotes from the beat: “Rookie guard Jonah Jackson has gotten a lot of run with the first-team offense the first two days of padded practice at right guard. During an offense vs. defense run drill the rookie showed off his athleticism and power when he pulled left and pancaked Ragland right on his butt in one rep. It’s early, but Jackson has shown some good things through the first two days.” — Tim Twentyman, Detroit Lions senior writer’s Tuesday observations.

“The Lions didn’t trade up for Jackson in the third round for nothing.” — Kyle Meinke of MLive.

Jeff Okudah with the second team … for now

Expectations are that third overall pick Jeff Okudah will be one of the Lions starting cornerbacks when they open the regular season, but for now, he is having to earn that spot and is playing with the reserves.

Of note, Kenny Golladay mentioned that both he and Marvin Jones made a point of having Okudah skip the line in one-on-ones so they could match up against him because that’s the level “of competition (Okudah will) be seeing come Sunday.”

Quote from the beat: “As for Okudah, the expectation for most is he’ll be a Week 1 starter. But Patricia is going to make the rookie earn the job and he likes the way the competition is shaping up in the back end of the defense.” — Justin Rogers of the Detroit News.

D’Andre Swift catching on quickly

Second-round rookie running back D’Andre Swift is quickly living up to expectations — most notable because of his route running and pass-catching chops.

Swift mentioned that he feels really comfortable on the field already, and while he is still working to absorb the playbook as quickly as possible to earn the coaches’ trust, he has turned to veterans like Matthew Stafford, Kerryon Johnson, and Ty Johnson for advice.

Quote from the beat: “You’ve probably already seen every Lions beat guy Tweet about how rookie D’Andre Swift looked absolutely uncoverable as a receiver on Tuesday, and they’re all correct.” — Jeremy Reisman of pride of Detroit wrote after his Tuesday Observations.

Julian Okwara taking it slow

Julian Owara is a tremendous athlete and his attributes will likely be featured in situational pass-rushing roles early in the season. But, for Okwara to justify a spot on the roster he will need to expand his game more and that means contributing in other phases of the game.

Quote from the beat: “During individual drills, Okwara was mostly repping with special teams and not the linebackers. He got a fair amount of second and/or third-team jack linebacker reps, but it appears the Lions are trying to get him ready for a special teams role first and will rotate him into the regular defense later.” — Reisman’s observations from Tuesday.

Logan Stenberg competiting

For now, Logan Stenberg has been taking reps at third-string left guard behind starter Joe Dahl and veteran Oday Aboushi, as well as rotating through snaps at reserve center.

Quote from the beat: “Stenberg still has some bad habits to break. He’s still playing too tall out of his stance. He competes, but it’s not as clean (as Jackson) right now.” — Nick Baumgardner of the Athletic (subscription).

Quintez Cephus looks like he belongs

Fifth-round wide receiver has also gotten a handful of “he looks like he belongs” quotes from the beat and he is a player that appears on track for a contributing role early in the season.

Quote from the beat: “Back during the NFL Combine, Jeff Okudah said that the best receiver he went up against in college was Quintez Cephus. Well, Cephus proved him right on Tuesday, beating Okudah on back-to-back reps during one-on-ones.” Reisman’s observations.

Jashon Cornell suffers “pretty severe” injury

Seventh-round defensive lineman Jashon Cornell went down in practice on Tuesday and the early reports were bad. Things appeared worse when Patrica called his injury “pretty severe” in his post-practice presser, and took a final turn for worse when the Free Press’ Dave Birkett reported that it was an Achilles injury. If it’s a tear, he’s done for the season.

Quote from the beat: “Cornell, a seventh-round pick out of Ohio State, injured his left Achilles tendon during a one-on-one pass-rushing drill near the end of practice. He screamed in pain as he fell to the ground while making a move on guard Kenny Wiggins.” — Dave Birkett of the Free Press.

No quotes for these rookies yet

Jason Huntley, John Penisini, Hunter Bryant, Jalen Elliott, Bobby Price, Luke Sellers, Arryn Siposs, and Steve Wirtel have all flown a but under the radar early in camp but it’s still early.

Lions activate Romeo Okwara, Jalen Elliott, waive Jeremiah Dinson

The Detroit Lions announced they have activated Romeo Okwara from NFI, Jalen Elliott from reserve/COVID-19, and waived Jeremiah Dinson.

The Detroit Lions announced they have activated defensive end Romeo Okwara from the non-football injury list (NFI), undrafted safety Jalen Elliott from reserve/COVID-19 list, and waived undrafted rookie safety Jeremiah Dinson.

Okwara returning from the NFI list couldn’t come at a better time as the Lions will begin padded practices on Monday and only had two EDGE rushers healthy on the roster: Trey Flowers and Julian Okwara. Second year EDGE Austin Bryant is still on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list but there have been no updates on his status at this time.

Elliott was originally flagged on the opening day of COVID-19 testing and remained out of the facility until today. According to the NFL/NFLPA agreement, it means has been symptom-free for 72 hours and received clearance from the team’s head physician.

The Lions have now returned every player on their reserve/COVID list and now have strung together 12 straight days of tests, without having to place any additional players on the list.

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Dinson is the first undrafted free agent rookie to be released from the Lions roster this season, despite a series of roster moves last weekend. It’s a tough environment to succeed in, with no preseason games to prove themselves, and for a player who likely needed to show his value on special teams.

What’s next for Stafford, Golladay and the other Lions on the reserve/COVID-19 list?

What’s next for Matthew Stafford, Kenny Golladay and the other Lions on the reserve/COVID-19 list?

Matthew Stafford’s appearance on the transaction wire shook up the Lions den. Stafford is now on the NFL’s reserve/COVID-19 list.

Stafford joins Kenny Golladay, T.J. Hockenson and five other Lions players on the reserve list just in the first five days of the players arriving in Allen Park for the start of training camp. Being placed on the list does not necessarily indicate a positive test result for COVID-19, though that is one of the ways a player can make it onto the reserve list. Players who test negative but have been in close personal contact with an infected person also get placed on the list without differentiation by the team or league.

What’s next for Stafford, Golladay and the other Lions on the list? How do they get back on the field?

Per the NFL’s information on the newly created reserve/COVID-19 list, there are three different scenarios. They depend on if the player tested positive or negative and if he is symptomatic or asymptomatic.

For positive tests…

Asymptomatic players cannot return until:

  • 10 days after the initial positive test OR
  • 5 days have passed since the initial positive test and two consecutive negative tests are completed separated by 24 hours within a five-day period
  • Return must be approved by the team’s physician and the league’s Infection Control Specialist, or ICS

Symptomatic players can’t return until:

  • 10 days have passed since the first COVID-19 symptoms appeared
  • At least 72 hours have passed since the symptoms last occurred
  • Return is approved by the team’s physician after consulting with ICS and NFL’s chief medical officer
  • Local regulations and requirements are satisfied

For players who test negative and are asymptomatic but have been in close contact with an infected person, the rules change.

  • Second negative test within 24 hours of initial negative test
  • Increased symptom monitoring
  • Eight days of daily virus testing
  • Regular testing schedule thereafter

Players have until Monday, August 3rd to opt-out for the season. So far, defensive tackle John Atkins is the only Lions player to exercise his right to opt-out.

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Establishing the 53: Projecting the Lions’ DBs

Examining the Detroit Lions defensive backs and project who and how many players they will keep on the 53-man roster.

It’s never too early to examine and speculate about the Detroit Lions roster. Currently, the Lions have 90-players on their roster, and come September, there will likely be some difficult decisions to make when determining their final 53-players.

Previously, in this series of articles at Lions Wire, we rounded out the running backs group, declared a winner in the fullback versus H-back competition, added an offensive weapon, narrowed down the offensive line,  broke down the defensive line, established the top options at linebacker, and in this piece, we will project the Lions’ defensive backs — with 11 spots open on the 53-man roster.

Setting the table

While there are clearly defined starting roles on defense, the defensive backs are grouped together as their positional reserve roles do have some crossover, especially on special teams.

On defense, the Lions deploy five defensive backs in their base set, relying on two outside corners, a JOKER safety, a free safety, with the slot role alternating between a nickel corner or third safety. When they expand to six defensive backs, they typically keep both slot options on the field at the same time. The Lions also have defensive sets that use seven defensive backs in obvious passing situations.

Because of all defensive combinations and the frequency at which they deploy three corners and/or three safeties, it’s important to identify all six players as starters — even if they are not officially identified as such.

Identifying starters at corner

At corner, there has been a two-thirds overhaul among the starters with only Justin Coleman returning. Coleman has the potential to play both inside and out, but he takes roughly 75-percent of his snaps out of the slot.

The Lions were aggressive in landing free agent Desmond Trufant, and after seven years starting for the Falcons, it is assumed he will take a starting role on the outside. Trufant will turn 29-years-old when the season starts and the Lions are likely hoping he can hold down the CB1 role while their top 2020 draft pick acclimates to the league.

Jeff Okudah was drafted third overall for a reason and even general manager Bob Quinn has acknowledged that he is expecting him to start in 2020. Okudah has the talent level to win the CB1 job outright, or make claim to the role by the end of the season.

Erik’s take: Okudah, Trufant, and Coleman are clear Day 1 starters.

CB depth battle

After the trio above, the next notable name at corner is Amani Oruwariye. Oruwariye flashed skills in training camp, showed development throughout the year and should be considered the top reserve option. He is an outside corner only — and that’s probably not changing — but there is a need for a reliable third option at this spot.

Challenging Oruwariye on the outside will be Darryl Roberts — a two-year starter with the Jets — and third-year undrafted corner Mike Ford. Both players have plenty of speed and can contribute on multiple special teams units. Roberts has the experience edge, while Ford has shown the ability to step up when his number was called for the Lions in the past.

The options in the slot are not as strong with special teamers Jamal Agnew and free agent Tony McRae challenging to backup Coleman. The need here isn’t as pressing due to the third safety, but the Lions would benefit from at least one of these players stepping up their ability to play on defense.

Erik’s take: Lock Oruwariye in here based on upside alone, but beyond that, special teams will likely be the deciding factor.

Identifying starters at safety

Tracy Walker’s star is shining brighter with every passing day and he plays one of the most critical spots in the Lions’ scheme: the JOKER safety role. The JOKER is the most flexible player on the field, and Walker will split his time between the box (linebacker level), over the slot (covering tight ends, slot receivers, and running backs), and at deep safety.

Walker is reliable as a deep safety valve, but he can be most impactful when he lines up closer to the line of scrimmage — which is why the Lions traded for Duron Harmon.

Harmon will take over the single-high free safety role and will be the first natural centerfielder the Lions have had since Glover Quin. His experience — and success — in the scheme makes him an instant starter, and his ability to flex between positions will allow him and Walker to disguise coverage intentions.

The battle for the third safety role (the old Tavon Wilson role) will come down to second-year safety Will Harris and free agent acquisition Jayron Kearse.

Harris was drafted in the third round of the 2019 draft with the intention of developing him into this role. Last year he cross-trained at all three safety spots but was noticeably more successful when lining up over the slot and in the box. He should be the front runner for the job, but Kearse’s skill set offers a new range of skills. Kearse is big (6-4, 216), long (34.25″ arm length), and can cover, which will make him very appealing when the Lions want to play matchup football.

Erik’s take: Walker and Harmon are locked in starters, while Harris should get the early nod for the third-safety role based on his scheme experience.

Safety depth battle

Kearse should be an easy addition to the trio above, giving them four players they should feel comfortable putting on the field.

Beyond those four, the group is rounded out with four undrafted players: C.J. Moore in 2019 and three more added this offseason in Jalen Elliott, Jeremiah Dinson, and Bobby Price.

If the Lions keep a fifth safety, which one will likely come down to how they perform on special teams.

Erik’s take: Kearse is in. A fifth safety is still an option. 

Special teams battles

With 11 spots open for defensive backs, we have filled eight of them with four corners and four safeties — leaving three spots remaining.

After being benched in Week 2, Agnew bounced back in a big way, scoring touchdowns on both a punt and kick returns, the only player to do that in the NFL last season. He will be challenged by fifth-round pick, Jason Huntley — who had five kick return touchdowns in college — but Agnew has been a weapon on special teams and, at this time, should be expected to secure a spot on the 53.

That leaves the Lions with two spots remaining — and no gunners.

When the Lions signed McRae, I specifically broke down how that impacted the gunner competition. To summarize my conclusion, McRae’s relationship with new special teams coordinator Brayden Coombs should give him a leg up for one of the gunner roles, leaving Dee Virgin, Moore, and Ford battling it out for the final spot. Roberts — who wasn’t on the roster when I wrote the article — should also be in consideration here. Elliott, Dinson, and Price will also get a shot in camp but until I see them compete in person I can’t consider them options.

Based on the information available to me at this time, the final gunner role will likely come down to Virgin, Moore, Ford, and Roberts. Any of these four could make a push for a spot, but Virgin and Moore — the Lions’ starting gunners last year — lack Roberts and Ford’s ability to contribute on defense, which could be a difference-maker.

Erik’s take: The final three spots go to Agnew, McRae, and Ford for now, but all of their roles are in jeopardy come training camp.

Conclusion

In this projection, the Lions wrap up their defense with 11 players, who will play in the following roles:

  • Outside corners: Okudah, Trufant, Oruwariye, Ford
  • Nickel/dime corners: Coleman, Agnew, McRae
  • Position versatile safeties: Walker, Harmon, Harris, Kearse
  • Kick/punt returner: Agnew
  • Gunner: McRae, Ford
  • 4-phase special teams contributors: Kearse, Harris

Breaking down the Lions 2020 UDFA contract guarantees and bonuses

Examining the Detroit Lions 2020 undrafted free agents’ contract guarantees/bonuses, and projecting how that impacts their roster status.

The Detroit Lions have signed all seven players from their 2020 undrafted free agent class and now their contract numbers, including guaranteed money and signing bonuses, are being released (via Overthecap.com).

The guaranteed money involved in UDFA contracts speaks to how much the team values a player but it doesn’t always guarantee them a spot on the 53-man roster or practice squad.

Looking back at 2019 and 2018 UDFA contracts

If we look at the last two years of Lions UDFA classes we can see players who receive the most money have a better shot at sticking around in some form, but if they are outperformed in training camp, the Lions have no issues moving on from them. Likewise, a player who wasn’t guaranteed a significant amount of money can also find themselves on the roster if they stand out in camp.

2019 roster/practice squad Total Guaranteed 2019 UDFA rank 2018 roster/practice squad Total Guaranteed 2018 UDFA rank
Beau Benzschawel (roster) $80,000 2nd Brandon Powell (roster) $44,000 1st
C.J. Moore (roster) $27,000 5th Mike Ford (PS/roster) $27,500 3rd
Matt Nelson (PS) $15,000 7th
Jon Duhart (PS) $10,000 8th
Kevin Strong (roster) $6,000 9th
Tom Kennedy (PS/roster) $0 11th

Last year, the Lions gave offensive tackle Ryan Pope a hefty $165,000 in guaranteed money but he was dominated in camp and to no one’s surprise, he was released before the regular season. Meanwhile, Beau Benschawel turned around his training camp, developing quickly down the stretch, and earned a spot on the active roster. Kevin Strong was the surprise camp darling last fall, significantly outperforming his guaranteed money, but the biggest winner was Tom Kennedy, who didn’t initially receive a UDFA contract — he had to earn one via a try out — and thus had zero guarantees in his deal.

2020 UDFA contracts

Despite having a smaller UDFA class this cycle, the Lions stayed relatively consistent with how they distributed their money, investing in four key players at the top, while handing out smaller bonuses to players who could surprise.

Total Guaranteed Salary Roster bonus 2020 Cap Hit
Jalen Elliott $100,000 $85,000 $15,000 $615,000
Jeremiah Dinson $80,000 $50,000 $30,000 $620,000
Arryn Siposs $65,000 $50,000 $15,000 $615,000
Hunter Bryant $60,000 $40,000 $20,000 $616,666
Steve Wirtel $22,000 $15,000 $7,000 $612,333
Luke Sellers $10,000 $5,000 $5,000 $611,666
Bobby Price $0 $0 $0 $610,000

It’s worth noting that Elliott received more guaranteed money than Benschawel, Dinson the same amount, while Siposs and Bryant earned more than any other UDFA in 2019 and every UDFA in 2018. Looking solely at the money, it’s fair to say the Lions are hoping those four play well enough to challenge for a roster spot.

Beyond the money, it’s fair to say those four also have the best chance among the UDFAs of earning a roster spot. Eliott and Dinson will challenge last year’s UDFA special teams ace C.J. Moore, while Siposs is in a two-man competition with Jack Fox for the punter job, and Bryant’s skillset may require him to beat out last year’s seventh-round tight end Isaac Nauta or a sixth wide receiver.

When the Lions head into training camp, based on the guaranteed money and opportunities available, Eliott, Dinson, Siposs, and Bryant are the names to watch.

QIB study of Lions draft class highlights athleticism on defense

When using Quinn Influenced Benchmarks (QIB) to examine the Detroit Lions 2020 draft class, the defense got noticeably more athletic.

Quinn Influenced Benchmarks (QIB) — the study of Detroit Lions general manager Bob Quinn’s draft tendencies — has been a staple of Lions Wire draft coverage for the last few seasons, but with the COVID pandemic canceling Pro Days, the process and available data took a massive hit.

In yesterday’s QIB study we took a look at how the Lions’ offense could be in for a potential scheme expansion and in today’s article, we shift to the other side fo the ball and examine the athletic markers of the defensive players acquired in the 2020 Draft/UDFA class.

The near-perfect addition

Jeff Okudah (1st)

After the NFL Combine, I examined Jeff Okudah’s measurables and identified, in detail, the numbers that matter to the Lions — spoiler: he checked every box he attempted.

Here are the highlights of his physical attributes:

  • Clear 6-0, 190-pounds? Yup, he checked in at 6-1, 205
  • How’s his arm length? 32.63″ longest among Lions’ CBs
  • Sub 4.5 40-yard-dash? Yup, 4.48 is plenty fast
  • Vertical jump over 36″? Yup, 41″, best in CB class
  • Broad jump over 10′? Yup, 11’3″, best in CB class
  • 3-cone under 3.92? Short shuttle under 4.16? Didn’t attempt

And that last two “didn’t attempt’s” in the agility drills is why this section is titled “near-perfect” and not “perfect”. When you add in all of Okudah’s other attributes — intelligence, scheme fit, character, etc — it’s no wonder he was an easy selection at pick three overall. If he’s not the Lions top cornerback at the end of his rookie year, it’d be surprising.

No QIB, no problem

Julian Okwara (3rd), John Penisini (6th), and Jashon Cornell (7th)

A broken Fibula kept Julian Okwara from finishing his final season at Notre Dame and the NFL Combine, so there are no tested measurables to compare for the QIB system. In fact, the only thing we can examine is his physical makeup and game film.

The Lions target two things in the physical makeup of their EDGE rushers, weigh over 250 pounds, and have 34″ arm length. Okwara weighed 252 pounds at the Combine and like his brother Romeo, he has the frame to easily add more weight. Okwara was also one of only seven EDGE rushers in this draft class to check the arm length box, with him registering 34.38″ arms — second to only Austin Bryant (34.63″) on the Lions roster.

On film Okwara’s burst and power jump out and it’s easy to see why many are calling him a steal in the third round.

Expect the Lions to start Okwara out at JACK linebacker and ask him to burn up the edge as a pass rusher while he acclimates to the NFL. As he gets more comfortable, Okwara has the coverage skills and upside to expand his role in the Lions scheme and could have a Jamie Collins-like developmental ceiling ahead of him.

As a nose tackle, athletic expectations were low for John Penisini. He also only had a particle workout at the Combine leaving his QIB profile incomplete. Jashon Cornell wasn’t invited to the Combine and with no Ohio State Pro Day this year, his profile is also incomplete.

UDFA safeties

Jalen Elliott, Jeremiah Dinson, and Bobby Price

The Lions took three fliers on undrafted safeties and while Jalen Elliott was the only one of the three invited to the Combine, all three have measurables as both Auburn (Jeremiah Dinson) and Norfolk State (Bobby Price) managed to get in Pro Days before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Elliott ran a shockingly slow 40-yard dash at the Combine (4.8 seconds), but the Lions tend to focus on the explosion and agility score more for safeties, which is to his benefit. Elliot exceeded the benchmarks in the vertical jump, broad jump, and all-important 3-cone (6.87 seconds), while he only missed in the short shuttle but 0.02 seconds. He may not be an all-around athlete, but he’s athletic in the right ways.

Dinson only passed the vertical jump benchmark which puts him at an athletic disadvantage, but if he is going to make the 53-man roster, his elite tackling ability could be his ticket.

Price is the prototypical small school freak athlete who could turn heads when he gets into camp. At 6-3, 216 with 33.25″ arms Price has an impressive build, but also ran a 4.43 40-yard-dash and emphatically checks all four boxes the Lions look for — 43″ vertical jump, 11-foot broad jump, 6.85-second 3-cone, and 4.06-second short shuttle are all the top marks among Lions safeties. If you’re looking for an undrafted sleeper athlete in this draft class, Price is the guy to take note of.

Every Lions Wire article about the Lions’ 2020 draft class

A comprehensive collection of every Lions Wire article about the Detroit Lions’ 2020 draft class, including undrafted free agents.

During the 2020 NFL Draft, the Detroit Lions drafted nine players and signed seven undrafted free agents. Articles were produced at a rapid pace and it’s possible some fans may have missed some of Lions Wire’s coverage.

So in order to make sure we’ve got you covered, here is every article we wrote about all 16 players acquired by the Lions both during and after the draft.

1st round, pick 3: Jeff Okudah

Lions select CB Jeff Okudah

Instant analysis

Grading the Lions selection

Where he fits on the Lions depth chart

5 things to know

Draft guide evaluations

National grades

Career highlights on and off the field

Lions players welcome Okudah

Detroit Lions Breakdown Podcast: Jeff Okudah

2nd round, pick 35: D’Andre Swift

Lions select RB D’Andre Swift

Instant analysis

Grading the Lions selection

Where he fits on the Lions depth chart

5 things to know

Draft guide evaluations

Career highlights

D’Andre Swift has 2nd-best odds to win Offensive Rookie of the Year

Swift selection shows Lions’ shifting priorities away from the “Patriot Way”

D’Andre Swift’s dad is absolutely jacked

3rd round, pick 67: Julian Okwara

Lions select EDGE Julian Okwara

Instant analysis

Grading the Lions selection

Where he fits on the Lions depth chart

5 things to know

Draft guide evaluations

Career highlights

Bob Quinn on Julian Okwara: ‘an easy send-in-the-pick’ choice

Meet Julian Okwara, Notre Dame’s dominant pass-rushing prospect

Watch: Julian Okwara to older brother Romeo, “We about to be roommates”

Julian Okwara ‘excited to get to work’ with brother Romeo in Detroit

3rd round, pick 75: Jonah Jackson

Lions trade up, select IOL Jonah Jackson

Instant analysis

Grading the Lions selection

Where he fits on the Lions depth chart

5 things to know

Draft guide evaluations

Career highlights

4th round, pick 121: Logan Stenberg

Lions select OG Logan Stenberg

Instant analysis

Grading the Lions selection

5 things to know

Draft guide evaluations

Meet Logan Stenberg, Kentucky’s mauler of an OL prospect

5th round, pick 166: Quintez Cephus

Lions select WR Quintez Cephus

Instant analysis

Grading the Lions selection

Where he fits on the Lions depth chart

Draft guide evaluations

Breaking down Lions WR Quintez Cephus with Wisconsin insider Owen Riese

Watch: Matt Waldman breaks down WR Quintez Cephus game film

Meet Quintez Cephus, Wisconsin’s big-play WR prospect

5th round, pick 172: Jason Huntley

Lions select RB/KR Jason Huntley

Instant analysis

Grading the Lions selection

Jason Huntley, Ty Johnson competing for the same role in crowded Lions backfield

5 things to know

6th round, pick 197: John Penisini

Lions select John Penisini

Instant analysis

Grading the Lions selection

Where he fits on the Lions depth chart

5 things to know

Draft guide evaluations

Penisini is one of the top low-risk, high-reward prospects in draft class, per PFF

7th round, pick 235: Jashon Cornell

Lions select Jashon Cornell

Grading the Lions selection

5 things to know

Undrafted free agents

2020 Lions UDFA tracker

Lions agree to terms with 7 UDFAs to 2020 roster

Hunter Bryant was the top-rated UDFA based on consensus draft boards

Hunter Bryant evaluations from 2020 NFL Draft guides

Jalen Elliott evaluations from 2020 NFL Draft guides

Meet Jalen Elliott, the vocal leader of the Notre Dame defense

Jeremiah Dinson evaluations from 2020 NFL Draft guides and path to the roster projection

WATCH: Lions UDFA punter Arryn Siposs has an amazing Australian highlight

Trade market

Schefter: Lions did not receive a trade offer for the No. 3 pick

Bob Quinn explains why no worthwhile trade offers came to the Lions

Bob Quinn on draft smokescreens: ‘much easier said than done’

Bob Quinn refutes report of backing out of Day 2 trade with the Texans

Lions trade No. 109 pick to the Raiders for two picks

Entire 2020 draft class

Presenting the Detroit Lions 2020 draft class

National media hand out several ‘A’ grades for Lions 2020 draft class

Evaluating the Relative Athletic Score for the Lions 2020 draft class

Detroit Lions Breakdown podcast, Episode 149: Draft class review

4 things I learned about the Lions from the 2020 NFL Draft

Breaking down the Lions’ Ohio State draft picks with Eleven Warriors’ Dan Hope

Recapping the Lions draft return from the Darius Slay trade

Lions agree to terms with 7 UDFAs to 2020 roster

The Detroit Lions announced they have agreed to terms with seven undrafted free agents, bringing their roster to the maximum 90-players.

The Detroit Lions announced they have agreed to terms with seven undrafted free agents, and after releasing four players on Monday, the team’s roster sits at the maximum 90-players.

For a more detailed breakdown of all seven new Lions, be sure to check out our 2020 Lions UDFA tracker, and below is a shorter overview of the class with some fun details from the Lions.

Hunter Bryant, TE, Washington

Hunter is a move tight end who will complement the Lions tight end room. He was Pro Football Focus’ No. 1 tight end prospect in this class, the Athletic’s Dane Brugler sixth-best, and has a legitimate shot at securing the TE 3 or 4 role on the Lions roster.

Arryn Siposs, Punter, Auburn

An Australian punter who can do some amazing things with a football. After the release of Matt Wile, it appears, Siposs will compete with Jack Fox for punting duties this offseason.

Jalen Elliott, safety, Notre Dame

Elliot’s ball skills point to him potentially being a single-high safety in the Lions scheme, and if he can show more range, he will have a chance to challenge C.J. Moore for the fifth safety role.

Jeremiah Dinson, slot DB, Auburn

Dinson is a slot corner/safety tweener whose coverage and tackling skills could earn him a spot on the backend of the roster. He will likely compete with Will Harris and Jayron Kearse in the slot.

Bobby Price, JOKER, Norfolk State

From the highlights I was able to obtain and watch, Price has a very similar body type and play style to Tracy Walker and could be a developmental project at the JOKER safety position.

Luke Sellers, Fullback, South Dakota State

A pure fullback option who can contribute on special teams, he was rarely used on offense for more than blocking purposes. He will push Nick Bawden for a role on the roster.

Steven Wirtel, Long snapper, Iowa State

Wirtel was the long snapper for the Matt Patricia North squad at the Senior Bowl and was almost universally regarded as the second-best long snapper in this draft class — the first, Blake Ferguson, was drafted in the sixth round by the Miami Dolphins.

Bengals held pre-draft meets with WR Lawrence Cager, safety Jalen Elliott

The Cincinnati Bengals met with Lawrence Cager and Jalen Elliott ahead of the 2020 NFL draft.

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Word on potential Cincinnati Bengals 2020 NFL draft targets continues to make its way public.

Next up on the visits list? Pre-draft meets with Notre Dame safety Jalen Elliott and Georgia wide receiver Lawrence Cager, according to The Draft Wire’s Justin Melo.

Elliott, a senior, generally grades as a late-round prospect who could fill a niche role on special teams before potentially developing into something more.

Cager is a bit flashier but had his collegiate career marred by injuries. He’s a 6’5″ target who in 2019 put up some excellent work as a possession receiver.

Both of these due-diligence items for the Bengals don’t come as much of a shock. They’ve spent the offseason remaking the secondary almost entirely and wideout has been tagged as a major need because the roster simply doesn’t have many under contract beyond next season.

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Report: 49ers have pre-draft visit with Notre Dame DB Jalen Elliott

The 49ers had a FaceTime visit with an NFL draft prospect who’s future may not be at his natural position.

The 49ers held a digital pre-draft meeting with Notre Dame defensive back prospect Jalen Elliott according to Justin Melo of the Draft Wire.

Elliott isn’t a big-time prospect thanks to sub-par speed and relatively limited production in college. He spent four years with the Fighting Irish and pulled down six interceptions with 11 pass breakups in 44 games. Most of his productivity came in 2018 when he had four interceptions and seven pass breakups.

An intriguing wrinkle in Elliott’s NFL projection came at the Senior Bowl though when he thrived at corner. Jim Nagy, the executive director of the Senior Bowl, tweeted after the weekend in Mobile, Ala. that Elliott, “legitimately looked like he could play CB at next level.”

The typical physical traits of a corner aren’t there for Elliott, especially the 4.8-second 40-yard dash he ran at the NFL combine. However, he has terrific size and strength that could make him a problem for receivers.

If the 49ers are aiming for a multifaceted defensive back prospect who can play special teams for a year or two while working to develop as a cornerback, Elliott could be a player they have circled on Day 3 or perhaps after the draft as an undrafted free agent if he isn’t picked up.

San Francisco under general manager John Lynch hasn’t hesitated to take a defensive back and move him out of his natural position. If the Senior Bowl was any indication, Elliott could be next in line.

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