The Lions are getting ready to welcome their newest crop of players to Allen Park, and I’ve got to say, I’m pretty excited about this bunch. The rookie minicamp kicks off this Friday, May 9th, running through Sunday the 11th, and it’ll give us our first real look at the future of Detroit football.
Lions Rookie Minicamp Preview: Our Picks
First up, let’s talk about our draft picks. Tyleik Williams is the headliner here. Our first-round pick (28th overall) out of Ohio State. He’s a monster on the defensive line, and I’m particularly interested in seeing how he moves in person. Then there’s Tate Ratledge, Isaac TeSlaa, Miles Frazier, Ahmed Hassanein, and Dominic Lovett out of Georgia, who we snagged in the seventh. Not a bad haul at all.
But here’s where things get interesting. The undrafted free agents. Every year, there are diamonds in the rough, and this year’s group looks promising. The Lions picked up at least 10 UDFAs, and a couple of them have really caught my eye.
Lions Rookie Minicamp Preview: The UDFA’s
Caden Prieskorn, a tight end from Ole Miss, is probably the most intriguing of the bunch. Word is, quite a few draft analysts had him pegged as a draftable talent, so snagging him as an undrafted free agent could turn out to be a steal. The Lions also grabbed another tight end in Zach Horton, setting up what should be an interesting position battle to watch.
The running back room got a little more crowded with Anthony Tyus III from Ohio and Kye Robichaux out of Boston College. In the receiving corps, we’ve got Jackson Meeks (Syracuse) and Jakobie Keeney-James (UMass) trying to make their mark.
I’m particularly excited about Meeks. Meeks isn’t your typical UDFA. The Lions clearly see something special in him. They’ve put their money where their mouth is, giving him a $200,000 guarantee and a $20,000 signing bonus. That’s significant money for an undrafted player, and it suggests they’ve got real plans for him.
At 6’2″ and 205 pounds, Meeks brings good size to the position. CBS Sports describes him as a well-built outside receiver with solid length and sizable hands. He might not be the most explosive player off the line, but he makes up for it with physicality – something that should translate well to the NFL game.
On the offensive line, Mason Miller from North Dakota State and Leif Fautanu from Arizona State will be competing for spots. The defensive side of the ball sees Keith Cooper Jr. (Houston) joining the mix, while Ian Kennelly, a local product from Grand Valley State, will be fighting for a spot in the secondary.
This minicamp is part of a slightly different offseason schedule for the Lions this year. After the rookie minicamp wraps up, we’ve got OTAs scheduled for May 28-30 and June 3-5. The team actually canceled their mandatory minicamp this year, likely because they’re starting training camp early thanks to their Hall of Fame game appearance.
Another thing I’m really looking forward to is seeing how these guys handle their first taste of NFL coaching. The media will be there (you bet I’ll be making an appearance or two on the sidelines), and it’ll be our first chance to see these rookies in Lions uniforms. Sure, they’ll just be running drills and learning the playbook, but you can tell a lot about a player from how they carry themselves in these early sessions.
For the drafted guys, this is about getting comfortable in their new home. For the UDFAs? This is their shot to prove they belong. Some of these undrafted players might just be minicamp invites rather than full contract signings, which makes their performance over these three days even more crucial.
I’ll be particularly watching Prieskorn. There’s something about undrafted tight ends that makes for great NFL stories, and this kid’s got potential written all over him. Keep an eye on my Twitter for live updates from Allen Park starting Friday morning.
This is always one of my favorite times of the year. There’s something special about watching these young players start their NFL journeys. Some will make it, some won’t, but for these three days in May, they’re all living their dream in Honolulu Blue.
I’ll be back next week with a full breakdown of who stood out and who might have work to do. Until then, let’s hope this rookie class is another step toward bringing that Lombardi Trophy to Detroit.