Tag: Sione Vaki

Lions draft class rookie grades for 2024-25 regular season

Grading the Detroit Lions rookie class from the 2024 NFL Draft and how they performed as rookies

The Detroit Lions suddenly found themselves relying significantly less on rookies in 2024-25 on their way to the NFC’s No. 1 seed.
The Lions had a much quieter 2024 draft class. Only a couple of rookies played consistently throughout the regular season, a stark contrast from last season which saw the rise of Jahmyr Gibbs, Brian Branch, Sam LaPorta and Jack Campbell.
In a season marred by injury, the team needed every healthy body they could get onto the field, but that didn’t necessarily translate to all of their rookies getting much playing time.
Let’s take a look at how the Lions’ rookies did during the regular season.

Terrion Arnold

The rookie with the most complete resume this season is their first-round pick.
Arnold played in 15 games at cornerback, starting all but one of those. With injuries decimating the Lions defense, he quickly became a key part of defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn’s schemes.
Arnold’s rookie season started out rocky — stacking up eight penalties in his first eight games. However, he’s only had three penalties called against him since Week 4, and has become a middle-of-the-pack corner which is more than the Lions could ask for following the season-ending injury to Carlton Davis.
Grade: B+

Ennis Rakestraw Jr.

The Lions took Rakestraw with their second-round pick in 2024 in an effort to keep building up their secondary.
Rakestraw played in eight games, but mainly on special teams before he was injured in November. He’d managed six total tackles on the season before being placed on Injured Reserve.
Given the current state of the Lions defense, it’s fair to say he could’ve gotten a few opportunities late in the season. However, it certainly hasn’t been the rookie season he would’ve hoped for to this point.
Grade: D

Giovanni Manu

The Lions came into 2024 with one of the best offensive lines in the NFL.
Unfortunately for 4th-round pick Giovanni Manu, that means a lot of time on the bench.
The Lions traded up in the draft to get Manu, however the presence of Dan Skipper even while Taylor Decker was out kept the rookie out of the lineup. With Skipper’s contract future up in the air for next season, 2025 may lead to more opportunities for Manu.
Grade: Incomplete

Sione Vaki

Another stacked position for the Lions is running back — not leaving much room for Vaki at this point.
He’s played primarily on special teams, but has gotten a few carries in blowout wins against the Jaguars and Cowboys. With Craig Reynolds as the primary third-string back, Vaki won’t be able to carve out much of a role in the offense.
However, he has gotten some consistent playing time on special teams, which is more than some rookies can say.
Grade: C-

Mekhi Wingo

The Lions have been desperate for help along the defensive line this season, but Wingo is one of many who finished the season on Injured Reserve.
Wingo was in the midst of breaking into significant playing time as a backup for DJ Reader before he went down with a season-ending knee injury in Week 13’s win over the Bears. He finished his season with nine total tackles.
In limited opportunities, he made enough of an impact to earn a grade for his season, but he’ll certainly be looking for a bounce-back season in 2025.
Grade: D+

Christian Mahogany

Despite the strength of the Lions’ offensive line, sixth-round pick Christian Mahogany managed to get into the game in some meaningful spots during the regular season.
Mahogany played in seven games this season and made one key start in Week 16 to fill in for injured left guard Graham Glasgow against the Bears.
“It was solid,” head coach Dan Campbell said after the win. “[Mahogany] did some really good things, so there’s certainly something to continue to work with there and improve.”
Glasgow returned the following week and knocked Mahogany back down the depth chart, but the performance showed significant growth and the trust the coaches have in the rookie to step in when necessary.
Grade: C+

Snap count notes: How Detroit replaced the injured Lions in Week 4

Snap count notes: How Detroit replaced the injured Lions in Week 4

One of the questions regarding the Detroit Lions entering Monday night’s game against the Seattle Seahawks was, how will the Lions coaches replace the players lost to recent injuries?

The snap counts from the game reflect some pretty clear answers.

Detroit played just 53 total offensive snaps, a total that is normally on the wrong end of the scoreboard. Jared Goff not throwing a single incompletion and the big plays that produced quick touchdowns held back the play count on the offense.

Graham Glasgow switched from left guard to center and played every snap. Kayode Awosika slid into the LG spot and also went the whole way.

Extra tackle Dan Skipper was on the field for four snaps. All four of those came as part of a “jumbo” package that also included No. 3 TE Parker Hesse, who saw seven total reps. Top TE Sam LaPorta had no issues in playing 47 snaps, the same number as WR Amon-Ra St. Brown.

At receiver, Tim Patrick has run away with the No. 3 role. He played 21 snaps to just six for Kalif Raymond. Running back saw Jahmyr Gibbs out rep David Montgomery, 30-21, with No. 3 back Craig Reynolds playing the final two kneeldowns. Sione Vaki didn’t rep on offense in this game.

With so few offensive plays, the defense was on the field a lot. Detroit’s defense had 90 snaps, the highest of any team that’s won a game all year. Keep in mind that plays negated by penalty don’t count, so the Lions defense was out there for 99!

Replacing EDGE Marcus Davenport was a group chore. Levi Onwuzurike got the lion’s share with 56 reps, though he moved around the formation. Josh Paschal was on the field for 53, which seems a very high total until looking at Aidan Hutchinson playing 78–an 87 percent snap rate. James Houston had his biggest outing of the season with 14 reps.

The LB reps from injured Derrick Barnes divvied up across Malcolm Rodriguez (31), Ben Niemann (23), Jalen Reeves-Maybin (18) and Trevor Nowaske (8). Alex Anzalone was the only defensive player on the field for all 90 snaps in his return from missing Week 3 with a concussion.

Safety turned into the Joseph and Joseph show without injured Brian Branch. Both Josephs, Kerby and Brandon, played 89 of 90 snaps at safety. Undrafted rookie Loren Strickland only played on special teams.

At cornerback, Amik Robertson played 52 snaps as the slot corner. Kindle Vildor (5) and rookie Ennis Rakestraw (1) only saw action when starters Terrion Arnold (84) and Carlton Davis (88) had brief interruptions.

Lions snap count notes: Big rep debuts for Tim Patrick and DJ Reader

Lions snap count notes vs. Buccaneers in Week 2: Big rep debuts for Tim Patrick and DJ Reader

The day after a game is always a good time to check back in on who played and for how long for the Detroit Lions. Week 2 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers snap counts are now out.

Before even getting to the player participation, the stark discrepancy in the number of offensive snaps jumps off the sheet. Detroit ran 85 offensive plays, while Tampa Bay ran just 48. The Lions ran 37 more plays than the Bucs.

That crazy split puts a cap on some of the Detroit defensive participation; there just weren’t nearly as many opportunities as in a normal game. Three players, all in the secondary, played every defensive snap:

Kerby Joseph
Brian Branch
Carlton Davis

Slot CB Amk Robertson played 18 snaps, including four filling in for starting outside CB Terrion Arnold when Arnold dealt with a finger injury.

Linebacker Alex Anzalone played all 40 available snaps before departing with a concussion. That left Derrick Barnes playing the most reps at LB, with 45. Jack Campbell played 35, followed by Malcolm Rodriguez with 19. Jalen Reeves-Maybin did sneak onto the field for two.

James Houston played three snaps in his return to the lineup at EDGE. With Marcus Davenport out, Levi Onwuzurike took over most of his snaps. Onwuzurike was on the field for 36 of the 48 snaps. Aidan Hutchinson played his customary 90 percent of snaps, playing 43. DJ Reader saw action on 25 in his Lions debut.

On offense, the entire starting offensive line and QB Jared Goff were iron men and never left the field.

At RB, Jahmyr Gibbs out-repped David Montgomery 53 to 30. Sione Vaki played four reps, while Craig Reynolds played three out of 85 snaps.

Tim Patrick wound up getting more snaps at wide receiver than Kalif Raymond. Patrick, called up from the practice squad, played 33 to Raymond’s 31. Tom Kennedy played five, though Kennedy was Detroit’s primary kick returner in this game.

The Lions had three reserve offensive linemen who played one snap apiece: Dan Skipper, Kayode Awosika and Michael Niese. Those came on the fake punt attempt, which counts as an offensive rep.

Lions rookie Sione Vaki gets a positive injury update

Lions rookie Sione Vaki gets a positive injury update after the RB left Thursday’s practice with a shoulder injury

Detroit head coach Dan Campbell delivered some positive news on Lions rookie running back Sione Vaki in his Friday morning press conference. The fourth-rounder from Utah left Thursday’s practice session with a shoulder injury and did not return.

Campbell quickly defused any concerns that Vaki suffered a serious injury.

“Nothing long-term,” Campbell said of Vaki. “He’s good, he’s good,” he continued without elaborating any further.

Vaki is in the process of transitioning from a hybrid safety/running back at Utah to a full-time offensive player. He’s shown flashes with the ball in his hand and has thrived on special teams, as expected. Campbell added that Vaki needs more reps and experience.

The Lions are off on Saturday and travel on Sunday to New York for joint practices with the Giants beginning on Monday, which will give Vaki some time to heal up the wounded shoulder.

Video: Breaking down the Lions RB room ahead of training camp

Video: Breaking down the Lions RB room ahead of training camp with the Detroit Lions Podcast

The latest in the series of video previews, in conjunction with the Detroit Lions Podcast, for Detroit Lions training camp covers the running back room.

The Lions are set with one of the best one-two punches in the league with the tandem of David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs. They could each threaten to top 1,000 rushing yards in 2024 and this video helps break down how it can happen.

Newcomer Sione Vaki will fit somewhere into the mix, and how does that impact the likes of Craig Reynolds on the depth chart? Can Zonovan Knight return from injury and provide a spark? Is there any real hope of Jermar Jefferson finally making an impact?

All that and more in the latest positional preview from the DLP.

An audio-only version of the show is available from your favorite podcast provider.

3 underrated players for the Detroit Lions offense

3 underrated players for the Detroit Lions offense, from Lions Wire’s Russell Brown

About a month ago, I had looked into the Lions defense and wrote about three underrated defenders for this season. Switching gears, I want to do the same for the Lions offense.

We all know that the Lions offense is one of the most dynamic and yet, unpredictable offenses in the league. Defensive coordinators have gone on record and said that Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson is currently the toughest to prepare for during game week.

Despite not drafting any offensive player until the 4th round of the 2024 NFL Draft, the Lions seem to be a team that can make anything work with whoever is on the field. Let’s look at three offensive players that could be highly underrated right now.

RB Sione Vaki

This one shouldn’t be surprising. Whenever talking about players that could contribute right away or potentially in a big way, the first name always brought up is Sione Vaki.

During the Lions rookie mini-camp, he was very impressive in running back drills and showed his special teams ability right away. The expectation is for him to have some contribution as a returner on kick return.

Even though he was primarily a safety in college, Vaki showed what he could do with the ball in his hands for the Utah offense. Despite only having 42 carries in college, he had 317 rushing yards and two touchdowns. In addition to that, he recorded 11 receptions for 203 yards and three touchdowns.

While the Lions offense will primarily run through Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Vaki sprinkled into the offense. This is where it all leads back to the creativity of Ben Johnson. I can’t help but think of short yardage, red zone and 3rd down packages that feature Vaki on a weekly basis.

IOL Kayode Awosika

We’ve seen the Lions offensive line get banged up in the past. While none of us want to see it, there’s still a chance that injuries occur at some point this season. As we’ve seen Frank Ragnow battle through injuries, there could always be a stretch of games where Graham Glasgow has to move to center.

If that’s the case, the player that could step up is Kayode Awosika. Last season, he played in 252 regular season snaps and he only gave up one sack. According to PFF, he earned a 59.8 overall grade last season. While those aren’t great numbers, he still flashed on tape. Keep in mind, he did play 100% of the snaps in the NFC Championship Game.

The Lions clearly see something with Awosika and his ability. That’s why he was resigned to a contract this off-season. As he continues to work with offensive line coach Hank Fraley, one would assume that his better days of football are ahead of him.

WR Isaiah Williams

This one shouldn’t surprise anyone. I’ve been a fan of Isaiah Williams since I watched his tape after he signed a deal with the Lions after the 2023 NFL Draft.

It’s not every day that a UDFA makes the roster but with some uncertainty around the 4th and 5th receiver spot on the Lions roster, I think Williams has a chance. If he earns that chance, it wouldn’t surprise me if he contributed more than people think.

When watching his tape, I think he was comparable to Green Bay Packers WR Jayden Reed. While Williams only ran a 4.63 time in the 40-yard dash, he did post a 6.75 time in the 3-cone drill and he did have a 38 1/2″ vertical. I’m not sold on Donovan Peoples-Jones or Antoine Green quite yet so this summer, I would keep tabs on Williams as much as possible.

Lions sign four 2024 draft picks ahead of rookie minicamp

Lions sign four 2024 draft picks ahead of rookie minicamp as well as several UDFAs

As rookie minicamp is set to kick off on Friday, the Detroit Lions took care of some formalities with some of the participants. The Lions announced they have signed four members of the team’s draft class of 2024.

The Lions signed the final four selections of their class:

OL Giovanni Manu

RB Sione Vaki

DL Mekhi Wingo

OG Christian Mahogany

All received their standard contract commensurate with their draft slot, as predetermined by the NFL’s collective bargaining agreement with the NFLPA.

Detroit also signed several undrafted rookie free agents:

WR Jalon Calhoun – Duke
LB Steele Chambers – Ohio State
C Duke Clemens – UCLA
C Kingsley Eguakun – Florida
S Chelen Garnes – Wake Forest
LB DaRon Gilbert – Northern Illinois
LS Hogan Hatten – Idaho
C Bryan Hudson – Louisville
OLB Nate Lynn – William & Mary
CB Morice Norris – Fresno State
TE Isaac Rex – BYU
S Loren Strickland – Ball State
K James Turner – Michigan
OLB Isaac Ukwu – Mississippi
WR Isaiah Williams – Illinois

All are expected to be in action later today when minicamp starts.

Sione Vaki knows he’ll ‘earn his stripes’ on special teams in Detroit

Lions fourth-round pick Sione Vaki knows he’ll “earn his stripes” on special teams in Detroit

Lions fourth-round pick Sione Vaki offers up an unusual profile. He played safety at Utah but was also a running back, and NFL teams viewed his positional fit as a variable. That was never more clear than one set of passing game drills during Senior Bowl practices, when Vaki began the drill playing defense and switched to the offensive side halfway through the exercise.

In Detroit, Vaki will play running back over safety. The 5-foot-11, 210 pound Ute knew that before the draft.

“Yes, when I came in (on pre-draft visit), I met with the offensive coordinator (Ben Johnson) as well as with the running backs coach (Scottie Montgomery), so I assumed that it was for the offensive side of the ball,” Vaki said after being drafted by Detroit.

Beyond playing running back, where the Lions have enviable depth already, Vaki was drafted for his ability and potential on special teams.

“Yeah, I was an R3 on kickoff,” Vaki stated proudly. “I was an edge on punt return. I also have some experience with returning kickoffs, as well as being in-depth for punt returns. So, I mean, I’m all about special teams. So, when it comes to that, that’s where I earned my stripes and that’s where I’ll kind of earn my stripes as well there, in Detroit.”

The Lions do have a bigger need for help on special teams. Three fixtures of coverage and return units — CB Chase Lucas, DB Will Harris and LB Anthony Pittman — are no longer on the team. Vaki’s experience and versatility should slide right into one of those roles.

Lions add reserve running back, potential special teams ace Sione Vaki

The Detroit Lions add reserve running back, potential special teams ace by trading up in the 4th round for Sione Vaki

The Detroit Lions traded up, again, in the fourth round and selected Utah’s Sione Vaki. Though he was commonly listed as a safety throughout the draft process, Vaki was announced as a running back when the Lions selected him.

Detroit is no stranger to players that made the switch from defense to offense, such as linebacker-turned-fullbacks Nick Bellore and Jason Cabinda or former defensive backs Godwin Igwebuike and Jamal Agnew. While those four players didn’t make much of an impact on offense, they all were key contributors in another aspect of the game: special teams.

Vaki fits what Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell look for in a core special teamer. His capabilities as a running back open the door for him to return kickoffs as well as be an option to get the ball on fake punts, something Dan Campbell is well known for.

As a college safety, Vaki knows defense as well. Not only will he be an emergency option in the defensive backfield, but he will be the kind of player who will be in on every tackle on special teams. Expect Vaki to be a playmaker on the kickoff and punt teams.

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As for the running back room, Detroit is set with David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs as their one-two punch. Craig Reynolds has been a reliable backup and return specialist, and the team was high on Zonovan Knight before he suffered a season-ending injury. Jake Funk and Jermar Jefferson are also fighting for a roster spot.

Vaki is all but guaranteed to make the roster in some capacity, and there’s a good chance he will emerge as the third or fourth running back on the depth chart.

Grading the Lions selection of RB Sione Vaki in fourth round

Grading the Detroit Lions selection of Utah S/RB Sione Vaki after trading back into the fourth round

Immediately following the selection of Giovanni Manu, GM Brad Holmes continued his assertive approach by orchestrating another trade in the fourth round to acquire the versatile Sione Vaki. The Lions relinquished their fifth-round pick (164), sixth-round pick (201), and a 2025 fourth-round pick in exchange for the fourth-round pick (132) and sixth-round pick (210).

The Lions’ interest in Vaki was no secret, as they viewed him as a potential Swiss Army knife for the team. While many scouts labeled him as a safety during the draft process, the Lions envisioned him as a running back, a perspective emphasized during his visit with OC Ben Johnson and RB coach Scottie Montgomery in Detroit.

With Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery solidifying the Lions’ running back room, Vaki could carve out a niche role beyond that. His value may primarily lie in his contributions on special teams, where his skills as both a safety and a return specialist could prove invaluable.

Given the evolving nature of NFL kickoff rules, Vaki’s versatility makes him an intriguing prospect, capable of filling multiple roles on the field. While the Lions primarily see him as a running back, he could also provide depth at safety if necessary, although he may require some coaching to refine his route recognition and tackling techniques, having struggled with missed tackles in the past.

The cost to move up for Vaki was deemed reasonable by the Lions, who believe he can make an immediate impact across all three phases of the game. How the Lions choose to utilize him will be closely watched, but there’s little doubt about the potential value Vaki brings to Detroit with his versatility and multifaceted skill set.

Grade: B