Tag: Lions UDFA

Lions UDFA profile: Minnesota RB Mohamed Ibrahim

Breaking down Lions UDFA RB Mohamed Ibrahim from Minnesota and what he offers to Detroit

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After the initial Lions rookie minicamp, undrafted free agent Mohamed Ibrahim sure feels like he belongs in the Detroit backfield. It’s part of the reason why the Lions gave the running back from Minnesota a hefty signing bonus to lure him as a UDFA.

Ibrahim’s appeal is easy to see on his Golden Gopher game film. He’s short at 5-foot-8 but not small; at 203 pounds, he’s thick and powerful. Ibrahim uses the lower-body muscle and relentless leg drive to reliably grind yardage after contact. It’s his best attribute as a runner.

Ibrahim averaged an outstanding 3.56 yards after contact in 2022, which helped net him over 1,100 yards after contact. He’s very adept at running through contact and using excellent balance to keep moving forward. Ibrahim has a good understanding of how to set up his blocks and quickly react to what is blocked for him. He’s also a great blocker in his own right, effectively stonewalling defenders in pass protection.

His on-field game screamed, “draft me,” but there are some viable drawbacks. Ibrahim battled several leg injuries, including a torn Achilles in 2021 and an ankle issue in his freshman season in 2018. He will turn 25 the day after Detroit’s Week 1 matchup with the Chiefs, too.

Minnesota rarely used him in the passing game beyond pass protection; Ibrahim had 22 career catches in five seasons but had three documented drops. Between his lack of height and very short (28-inch) arms, he’s just not a big target. His open-field speed isn’t explosive, nor is his acceleration through the hole. Ibrahim will get caught from behind, but it’s his ability to get clear to the second level and open field that makes him appealing.

Detroit is a great fit for Ibrahim. He’s a runner who needs effective blocking to get him going. Ibrahim’s aggressive style of going straight north/south and willingness to attack would-be tacklers fits well in the Lions offense. Ibrahim figures to challenge stylistically similar vet Craig Reynolds for the No. 3 RB spot behind David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs. His ability to contribute on special teams and in the passing game will determine if Ibrahim sticks long-term.

Lions UDFA profile: NC State DT Cory Durden

Breaking down Lions UDFA defensive tackle Cory Durden from North Carolina State and what he offers Detroit

Another undrafted free agent hoping to make a name for himself in the Detroit Lions upcoming rookie minicamp is a big one. Defensive tackle Cory Durden from North Carolina State

The Lions see enough promise in Durden that the team released Demetrius Taylor, who made the team a year ago as an undrafted defensive tackle. Durden’s significantly bigger frame likely has something to do with it.

Durden measures in at 6-foot-4 and 292 pounds, a weight that is down from his playing weight of over 315 when he was at Florida State. Durden transferred for his final two seasons and reshaped his body into more of a leaner athlete. His long arms (34.25″) and wingspan (82.5″) are more in line with what the Lions desire on the defensive interior.

Durden had a weird college career. He bagged seven sacks and 28 QB hurries for the Seminoles back in 2019 and was seen as a rising star. A coaching and scheme change didn’t suit him well, eventually leading him to bounce to Raliegh and the Wolfpack. He missed playing with Lions DT Alim McNeill by a year at NC State and somewhat took over McNeill’s role, but he wasn’t overly productive. Durden registered just 3.5 sacks (all in 2021) and 7.5 TFLs in his two years with the Wolfpack.

He uses his length well initially and still has solid power despite the drop in bulk. For Durden to make the Lions, he’s going to need to keep his pad level and center of gravity lower; he tends to slide upright after contact. When he dictates the action, Durden does keep the weight balance low and can anchor, but it’s inconsistent across his game film.

Finishing is also not something Durden excelled at beyond his sophomore year. He’s not quick enough to slip through cracks in the line, and his pursuit speed and lateral range did not stand out. His lost weight didn’t make Durden much quicker or faster, unfortunately. Durden wins with initial pop from his hands, strength in his shoulders and base (when he stays low) and a visibly strong motor that doesn’t stop until the last echo of the whistle.

Lions UDFA profile: UAB cornerback Starling Thomas V

Breaking down Lions UDFA cornerback Starling Thomas from UAB and what he offers Detroit

The Detroit Lions are hoping to find another useful cornerback from the ranks of the team’s undrafted free agents. This year’s prime candidate is Starling Thomas V of Alabama-Birmingham (UAB), signed by Detroit shortly after the 2023 NFL draft concluded.

Thomas was a player who many analysts expected to be drafted in the late rounds after an impressive career for the Blazers. Between his on-field talent and track star speed, Thomas definitely appeared draft-worthy.

The speed needs to lead any conversation about Thomas. The 5-10, 190-pound corner ran a 4.37 40-yard dash during the pre-draft workouts, but that was a slow time. He won the Alabama State high school track title in the 100-meter dash at 10.4 seconds. At UAB, he was clocked on GPS timing running over 24.1 MPH–which makes him the fastest player on the Lions.

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Thomas used that speed effectively at UAB, where he primarily played outside CB. He has experience playing press-man and does well in his jam technique. Despite being a little over 5-foot-10, his wingspan is 6-foot-3. Thomas uses the length effectively in both the jam and with the ball in the air. The 23-year-old picked off three passes and got his hands on 23 others in his final two years for the Blazers.

It’s not easy to see Thomas easily transitioning into the slot, though the attempt might be made because of his size and the Lions relative lack of depth inside. His speed can be straight-linish and Thomas’ footwork isn’t smooth in and out of breaks, which is less of a problem when playing outside. Thomas is a willing tackler and brings some snarl and pop to his run defense, but his attack angles can be inconsistent and overaggressive.

You don’t need to watch Thomas for long before you understand his appeal to the Lions. He’s feisty, he’s twitchy and he’s a smart, passionate football player.

He did get a chance to flash his speed as a return man at UAB, and that’s another path for Thomas to make the team. He did miss an entire season (2020) with a torn ACL, but Thomas has been reliable and durable otherwise.

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Lions UDFA profile: Notre Dame S Brandon Joseph

Joseph was considered a potential first-round talent before transferring from Northwestern to Notre Dame in 2022

One of the most familiar names the Detroit Lions signed to a free agent contract after the 2023 NFL draft was Notre Dame safety Brandon Joseph. Aside from playing for a major program, Joseph was a common fixture in the first round of “too early” mock drafts a year ago.

Now Joseph enters the Lions’ rookie minicamp next week as an undrafted free agent trying to prove that the prior ballyhoo wasn’t unwarranted.

The top quality that made Joseph so appealing entering the 2022 college season was his outstanding productivity in pass defense. Playing at Northwestern primarily as a free safety allowed Joseph to roam the intermediate range and flow toward the sidelines freely to make plays on the ball. He picked off nine combined passes in the 2020-2021 seasons for the Wildcats, but his coverage prowess extended beyond making plays on the ball.

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Joseph transferred to Notre Dame for his final season, and it simply didn’t fit well. The Fighting Irish used Joseph more in a split safety or even box safety role. To be blunt, Joseph’s poor tackling and unteady run defense that he showed at Northwestern should have nipped that experiment in the bud. He’s not a reliable presence against the run, and putting him in more traffic closer to the line of scrimmage exacerbates his struggles.

In short, he’s much more of a Kerby Joseph (no relation) type of safety than he is a Kyle Hamilton type, but Notre Dame largely asked him to replace the 2022 Ravens’ first-rounder (who quietly played great after a slow rookie start). His tacking issues are unlikely to ever improve enough to be relied upon as a full-time player. Joseph takes too many poor angles, lacks good body control to make quick adjustments to shifty runners, and doesn’t play with as much power, not even for a 192-pound DB.

If Joseph is going to make the Lions as an undrafted rookie, he’ll need to flash the ball skills once again. He doesn’t have great long speed or gaudy athleticism; Joseph wins with smart positioning, quick reactions and a good initial burst to the point of attack. He did handle some return specialist duties, too.

Detroit Lions 2023 undrafted free agent tracker

Tracking all the undrafted free agent signed by the Detroit Lions after the 2023 NFL draft

The 2023 NFL draft might be over, but the Detroit Lions are not done adding players. Prospects who went undrafted during the seven rounds are now free to sign with any team.

Detroit GM Brad Holmes has typically been one of the most aggressive in signing undrafted free agents, or UDFAs.

Here are the players the Lions have either signed as undrafted free agents or invited to the rookie minicamp for an in-person audition. Some reported signings are subject to change.

Detroit Lions UDFAs that could crack the 53-man roster

The Lions hit it big last year with several good UDFAs. Who could join them in 2022?

Undrafted free agents, or UDFAs, make rosters all across the league, and the Lions are no stranger to this. In 2021, the Lions saw contributions from undrafted rookies CBs Jerry Jacobs and AJ Parker, OL Ryan McConnell, TE Brock Wright and OG Tommy Kraemer.

The Lions signed 12 undrafted rookies and sent 4 additional free agents invites to camp for 2022, and although it is highly unlikely all 12 make the final 53-man roster, there are a few UDFAs that I think have a shot to not just make the roster, but contribute early on.

Lions announce 12 UDFA signings for rookie minicamp

4 of the UDFAs were previously known to have signed and the Lions added 8 more including CMU WR/RS Kalil Pimpleton

When the Detroit Lions started waiving players left and right during the week, it wasn’t just to show some players the door. They needed to open up some roster spaces to sign more undrafted rookies for this weekend’s rookie minicamp.

The Lions dumped eight players this week and used all of those roster spots to add to the UDFA class. Previously limited to just four signings due to a lack of room on the 90-man roster, Detroit added eight more players under contract.

The new additions:

  • Cedric Boswell, CB, Miami OH
  • Nolan Givan, TE, SE Louisiana
  • Josh Johnson, WR, Tulsa
  • Zein Obeid, OL, Ferris State
  • Kalil Pimpleton, WR/RS, Central Michigan
  • Corey Sutton, WR, Appalachian State
  • Demetrius Taylor, DT, Appalachian State
  • Jermaine Waller, CB, Georgia Tech

They join the four prior UDFAs who all received at least $100,000 to sign with the Lions: TCU OT Obinna Eze, Michigan State OL Kevin Jarvis, San Deigo State RB Greg Bell and San Jose State TE Derrick Deese Jr.

 

Lions cut 5 players to make room for the UDFA class

Lions cut 5 players to make room for the UDFA class, including waiving one player with an injury settlement

No team carried more players on the 90-man roster than the Detroit Lions did entering the 2022 NFL draft weekend. As a result, the team has been limited in the pursuit of undrafted free agents. That has now been rectified.

The Lions waived five players on Tuesday.

  • LB Tavante Beckett
  • EDGE Rashod Berry
  • CB Parnell Motley
  • TE Matt Sokol
  • TE Jared Pinkney, who was waived with an injury settlement

None of the players who were waived were considered more than longshots to make the final 53-man roster. Beckett did show some ability on special teams as an undrafted rookie in 2021.

Creating those vacancies on the roster places the Lions at 85 players on the roster, counting the spots committed for the draft class.

Predicting the UDFA most likely to make the Lions 53-man roster

Predicting the UDFA most likely to make the Lions 53-man roster of the initial group signed after the 2022 NFL draft

In 2021, the Detroit Lions struck paydirt with a handful of undrafted free agent rookies. Given opportunities on a low-end roster, several UDFAs made major contributions and proved they are part of the long-term rebuild, notably CB Jerry Jacobs and OG Tommy Kraemer. Jacobs proved to be one of the top rookie CBs in the NFL, outperforming many players drafted in the first two days.

Who is this year’s UDFA most likely to impact the Lions roster in 2022 and beyond?

Detroit’s options in 2022 are far more limited. After the 8-man draft class, the Lions technically only had four remaining roster spots available to sign undrafted rookies. There is some clutter on the roster of holdovers that will get whittled down soon, but for now, there are four candidates.

All four received at least $100,000 to join the Lions:

  • San Diego State RB Greg Bell
  • San Jose State TE Derrick Deese Jr.
  • TCU OT Obinna Eze
  • Michigan State OL Kevin Jarvis

Of that group, Eze has the clearest path to making the team. The 6-6, 321-pound Eze has freakish length as a pass protector on the edge. His arms are over 36 inches long and he has a good understanding of how to use his length to force pass rushers traipse a very wide circle to get around him to the outside.

That’s the precise type the Lions have looked for as a reserve offensive tackle. Eze is competing for a spot with Matt Nelson and Dan Skipper. Nelson is 6-7, Skipper is almost 6-10. Like Eze, both are limited movers who win with length and a powerful initial punch but struggle facing quickness and inside moves.

The Lions coaches still seem enamored with Nelson’s development as he continues to transition from college DE to NFL offensive tackle. But Skipper is definitely vulnerable. Now entering his sixth NFL season, Skipper has played in 10 games in his career across six teams. It’s now his third stint with the Lions. In short, the upside appears nil.

Eze should be able to beat out Skipper. The Lions likely had that in mind when inking the Horned Frogs alum to a contract with more guaranteed money than they gave free agent safety DeShon Elliott–who could start for the team.

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Lions gave big bonuses to a few UDFA signings

Detroit filled the 4 vacant roster spots with UDFA signings with guaranteed monies

The aftermath of the 2022 NFL draft is finally settling down, and one of the developments many might have missed in the onslaught of information over draft weekend is the undrafted free agent signings. The Lions targeted a few UDFAs with some significant bonuses to sign with the team.

Four players received bonuses of at least $100,000 to join the Lions. Those are significant numbers because the Lions had just four open spots on the 90-man roster after the draft.

The biggest bonus goes to offensive tackle Obinna Eze. The TCU tackle got a $20,000 signing bonus and a base salary guarantee of $150,00, per Doug Kyed of PFF.

To put that in perspective, the Lions have more guaranteed money invested in Eze than they do in free agent LB Jarrad Davis.

The other three who got big bonuses:

San Diego State RB Greg Bell – $100,000 total; $85,000 in guaranteed salary and a $15,000 signing bonus.

San Jose State TE Derrick Deese Jr. – $100,000 including a $5,000 signing bonus.

Michigan State OL Kevin Jarvis – $155,000 total; $140,000 in guaranteed salary and a $15,000 signing bonus.

Using that kind of financial commitment is a pretty strong message that those four vacant spots are all but secured entering the rookie minicamp. Everyone else invited to the camp is starting out behind this quarter, barring some trimming of the current roster.

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