The Rookies We Actually Care About
Look, we all know the drill. The Lions drafted seven guys, most of them trench warriors, and we won’t get a real read on any of them until the pads come on in August. No rookie minicamp this year means training camp is where these kids either sink or swim.
Our staff broke down which rookies have us most excited for those hot practices at Allen Park at the end of July. Spoiler alert: it’s heavy on the trenches, because that’s where Brad Holmes decided to spend his capital.
The Obvious Choice: Blake Miller
Two of our guys went with the first round pick, and honestly, it makes sense. Miller stepping into Drew Petzing’s offense and taking over right tackle from Larry Borom is appointment viewing. The chemistry he builds with Tate Ratledge could define this offense for years.
But here’s the real fun: watching him go against Aidan Hutchinson in practice. Every tackle not named Penei Sewell gets worked by Hutch in camp. Miller better be ready.
The battles with fellow rookie Derrick Moore should be entertaining too. Nothing like a little first-year-on-first-year violence to get the blood pumping.
The Pass Rush Project: Derrick Moore
Even our guy who didn’t love the Moore pick admits he’s curious to see what happens. If DJ Wonnum is the upgrade over Marcus Davenport, then Moore should be an upgrade over Al-Quadin Muhammad. That’s not exactly a high bar, but it’s progress.
Moore feels like Detroit’s latest attempt to find Hutchinson a running mate. We’ve been down this road before, but Holmes has earned the benefit of the doubt on these developmental edge rushers.
The Deep Sleeper: Skyler Gill-Howard
A sixth round pick from Texas Tech might not sound exciting, but this kid has a story worth following. Ankle injury tanked his draft stock, but the pass rush potential is real. Don’t be surprised if he embarrasses some second and third-string offensive linemen early in camp.
Sometimes the best finds come from the bottom of the draft. Sometimes they’re just bodies. Camp will tell us which one Gill-Howard is.
The Secondary Wildcard: Keith Abney
A cornerback with playmaker traits who some had as a Day 2 pick? That’s either a steal or there’s something wrong we don’t know about yet. If Abney can be an Amik Robertson replacement, this could be the draft class’s biggest bargain.
Detroit’s secondary needs depth and talent. Abney might provide both.
The Returner Battle: Kendrick Law
The fight for WR4 and return duties should be one of camp’s best storylines. Law versus Greg Dortch versus Dominic Lovett for snaps and special teams roles. Detroit traded up to get Law in the fifth round, which means they see something special.
His athletic profile and willingness to block suggest he’s not just a gadget player. Real offensive snaps might be in his future if he shows up in camp.
Which rookie has you most excited to see under the lights at Ford Field? Or are you already preparing for disappointment like a true Lions fan? Drop your take below.
Blake Miller going up against Hutch in camp is gonna be wild to watch. That’s the kind of competition that actually builds something real, and honestly I’m pumped to see how he handles it. Holmes knows what he’s doing with these trench guys.
I like the optimism here but we gotta see it translate to actual snaps first. Skyler Gill-Howard embarrassing second stringers in camp is one thing, doing it against real competition is another. I’m hopeful but not counting chickens yet.
Man, it’s nice to see the organization actually investing in the trenches like this. Been a long time since we had a GM building it the right way down low. These pads coming on in August should tell us real quick if Holmes nailed this class or not.
The fact that Keith Abney fell all the way down like that is wild. If he can slide in and give us actual corner depth, that’s huge. Campbell and Holmes are building this thing brick by brick and I’m here for it.