Tag: Jason Huntley

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

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

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One year ago the Lions used a Day 3 draft pick on a fast, slippery, undersized running back with great burst but little power to his game. Ty Johnson proved worthy of the pick. He averaged 4.3 yards per carry and also proved a reliable receiver, catching 24 passes. It was a promising start for the speedster from Maryland.

It was not impressive enough to solidify his status in Detroit. On Saturday, the Lions used a fifth-round pick on Jason Huntley from New Mexico State.

Their scouting reports are eerily similar, though Huntley was more accomplished and carried a higher workload in college. Now it appears they are competing for the same roster spot in a suddenly overcrowded running back room.

According to Lions GM Bob Quinn, that is no accident. He mentioned Johnson specifically in his post-draft press conference when asked about Huntley and how he fits with the team.

“Listen, there’s going to be competition in that running back room,” Quinn declared. “We feel good about the depth of that room. The good thing about the running backs right now, we have them of all shapes and sizes. We have some bigger guys, we have some middle-sized guys. Huntley will be our smallest guy, but he’s extremely fast. So (I’m) very confident that we’ll find a role for him, and he is going to be in competition with Ty Johnson.”

Quinn continued,

“Ty Johnson was a sixth-round pick last year, so Ty knows. Ty’s a smart guy. Ty knows he has to come in and earn it every year. We’re excited about Ty Johnson and hopefully the progress he makes from year one to year two. We’re going to put Jason right in there with him.”

It’s an interesting choice to double up at a position that merited just 87 touches and less than 30 percent of the offensive snaps. After selecting D’Andre Swift in the second round and with Kerryon Johnson coming back, plus Bo Scarbrough’s effective work as the power back down the stretch, drafting competition for a relatively minor role is a bit perplexing.

The concept of competition to make players earn their spots is a positive step, a development that has been missing from the Detroit RB room for some time.

POLL: Grade the Lions’ 2020 NFL draft class

Most analysts seemed to like what the Detroit Lions did on draft day, but how would grade their draft class?

Now that we’ve had time to catch our breath and maybe some sleep, we were able to fully take in the Lions’ 2020 draft.

For all accounts and purposes, most analysts liked what general manager Bob Quinn might’ve had one of his more successful drafts filling in the major holes that were sinking this team. Some may believe he might’ve reached a few picks, but all in all, he was able to land great value with a majority of the selections.

He drafted Jeff Okudah, Julian Okwara, John Penisini, and Jashon Cornell to shore the weakness on defense. For the offense, he got D’Andre Swift, Jonah Jackson, Logan Stenberg, Quintez Cephus, and Jason Huntley.

On the surface, it looks like the Lions are putting a premium on improving the run game with the selection of two running backs and two guards. Even though the picks were later, they got a few players that should help the defensive line and pass rush.

Make your voice heard! How would you grade the 2020 Lions draft class?

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Evaluating the Relative Athletic Score for the Lions 2020 draft class

The Detroit Lions 2020 draft class have some elite athletes, but overall they measured as an average athletic class

Now that the 2020 NFL draft has concluded, we all can take a breath and reflect on the draft class. This is the time where we can further analyze each prospect and see what they can bring to the table. One particular method that is used to assess the athletic potential of prospects, and there is no better place to start than Kent Lee Platte’s Relative Athletic Score (RAS) measurements.

The draft class measured out as an overall good athletic class highlighted by first-round selection Jeff Okudah and fifth-round selection Jason Huntley, who measured as great athletes in their corresponding position.

Okudah’s speed didn’t measure well, but he makes up for it in size and explosion, giving him the tools to be an elite shutdown corner.  Where Okudah missed on speed, Huntley has it for days. Even though he is tiny for a running back, his speed and explosion make him a hard target to tackle.

D’Andre Swift, Jonah Jackson, and Logan Stenberg measured out as good athletes in their respective positions. Swift size is in question, but he measured overall as a good athlete with no notable standouts outside of his 40 time.

The sore thumb on Jackson’s record his atrocious shuttle time, but his broad jump helped raise is explosion score, but overall he measures out as a good athlete. Stenberg has excellent size for a guard, and his speed and explosion doesn’t move the needle towards his athleticism, but coupled with his nasty streak could make a fine guard.

The lone draft pick that measured out as a mediocre athlete was wide receiver, Quitez Cephus. Cephus’ size and explosion athletics can help him win contested catch, but his speed is a significant concern. If it wasn’t for improvement with his 40 time at his pro day, he might not have been drafted.

With no pro day or combine numbers to measure, Julian Okwara, John Penisini, and Jashon Cornell did factor into the Lions’ overall athletic score.

The Lions might not have had the most athletic draft class out of the bunch, but they have intelligent players who will fit the scheme and look to make an impact where they are needed.

 

Tracking the Lions’ well-traveled, oft-traded 5th-round pick

The pick was traded for itself twice

It’s not uncommon for Day 3 draft picks to get traded. Nearly 40 percent of the picks made in Rounds 4-7 were traded at some point from 2016-2019. But in the case of the Detroit Lions fifth-round pick, it’s been quite a journey.

The Lions acquired the No. 172 overall pick from the Seattle Seahawks in exchange for Quandre Diggs. That trade went down during the 2019 season. Detroit then dealt the pick to New England in the trade to acquire safety Duron Harmon.

Effectively, the Lions traded the compensation for Quandre Diggs to replace Diggs in the secondary. But that’s not the end of the road for No. 172…

New England shipped the pick to Las Vegas in a Friday night trade with the Raiders as part of a large swap involving five total picks. The Raiders sent that hot potato right back where it started on Saturday, including 172 as one of the two picks in the deal to acquire Detroit’s 4th round selection at No. 109 overall.

The Lions finally used the pick on Saturday, selecting New Mexico State RB Jason Huntley.

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Grading the Detroit Lions’ selection of Jason Huntley

Assigning a grade to the Detroit Lions for their selection of New Mexico State running back/kick returner Jason Huntley in the fifth round.

The Detroit Lions decided to double-dip at the running back position by selecting Jason Huntley in the fifth round.

Coming out of New Mexico State, most analysts had Huntley low on their draft boards, predicting he’d not go until the seventh round or undrafted as a priority free agent.

Instead, the Lions snagged him in the fifth round, a pick that surprised many.

When you watch the tape, it’s obvious that he’s an elite athlete who could be a speedy option at running back for Detroit.

He’s shown promise on offense as both a zone runner and as a receiver, with over 1,000 yards both on the ground and in the air last season. He also scored five touchdowns on kick returns during his college career, so his special teams contributions could be his ticket to securing his roster spot.

His selection could simultaneously free up two roster spots, as his positional versatility and ability to be a gadget piece on offense could make Ty Johnson and Jamal Agnew dispensable.

While I love the player, I’m not a fan of the choice to take another running back in this year’s draft instead of addressing a different position of need.

Grade: C

5 things to know about Jason Huntley

Here are five things fans need to know about Detroit Lions fifth-round pick, New Mexico State, running back/kick returner Jason Huntley.

I wasn’t exactly thinking the Lions would draft another running back right now, but here we are. So, what are five things can I tell you about the newest running back and speedster Jason Huntley?

He’s fast. How fast is he you ask?

  1.  While he didn’t get a combine invitation, he was able to have a Pro Day before the COVID restrictions hit.  He ran a 4.37 (or 4.4 flat, I’ve seen both) 40-yard-dash.  He would have been tops among the running backs had he been in Indy.
  2. In his 2019 season, he rushed for almost 1,100 yards and nine touchdowns. He also caught 40 passes, and two of those were touchdowns as well. According to his coach Doug Martin, he can also be used as a slot receiver — so, he’s got some versatility to him.
  3. Staying with the versatility theme, he’s the only running back in this class to also have over 1,000 receiving yards in college as well.
  4. Most people already have him pegged as a potential kick returner on special teams and over his college career he returned five kickoffs for touchdowns.
  5. He played against Central Michigan University this past season when he had this impressive run:

Welcome to Detroit Jason! Just watch out for those speed traps that pop up every now and then, and you’ll be great!

Instant analysis for the Lions selecting RB Jason Huntley

Instant analysis for the Lions selecting RB Jason Huntley from New Mexico State in the 5th round

The Detroit Lions want to revamp their run game, and they made that painfully evident by selecting their second running back of the draft, this time with New Mexico State’s Jason Huntley.

This pick is a bit of a head-scratcher. The Lions had six running backs rostered before this selection, and now Huntley makes seven.

His skill set isn’t exactly unique to the group, but it’s clear why the Lions opted for him. He is lightning fast and can compete for a starting role as a kick returner. At New Mexico State, he took five kick returns to the house.

Huntley is also coming off a 1,000 yard season, and has recorded 3,316 total yards in scrimmage over four seasons along with 25 touchdowns.

While Huntley’s college career makes it obvious why any team would want him, it’s hard to see where he’ll fit in on the Lions roster.

He’s in direct competition with Ty Johnson, who was drafted in the sixth round of the 2019 draft. Everything that Huntley can do, Johnson can too. They both similar athletic profiles, and similar skill sets.

Both can be used as a gadget running back in both the passing and running games, as well as kick returners on special teams. The Lions generally carry only four running backs, and with Kerryon Johnson and D’Andre Swift leading the group, these two backs may be fighting for the same job.

Huntley is a dynamic player in any role he lines up in, and that’s undeniable. At the same time, it’s startling that the Lions opted to use their capital draft a second running back this year. Regardless, the pick is made, and Matthew Stafford has a new offensive weapon at his disposal.

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