Detroit Lions Second-Round Pick Looks Like the One
Aug 13, 2015; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Lions running back Ameer Abdullah (21) runs with the ball during the first quarter of a preseason NFL football game against the New York Jets at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports
Detroit Lions fans have watched promising football seasons end due in part to the Lions not having a running game. They’ve had guys from Reggie Bush to the head repairman at Ford line up at running back the last 10 years. And none of them have worked out, leaving quarterback Matthew Stafford and receiver Calvin Johnson the whole workload.
But now, it looks like those days might finally come to an end as the Lions have Ameer Abdullah. The Lions selected Abdullah in the second round of the 2015 NFL Draft and right now it looks like they have a steal. Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press said of Abdullah, “After Calvin Johnson, who makes at least one amazing catch per practice, Abdullah has been the most eye-popping player in the first week of training camp and it isn’t particularly close.”
Defensive coordinator Teryl Austin also chimed in, telling Birkett, “We can’t even touch him. He’s like grasping at air.” Abdullah is a very elusive running back as he has shown while at Nebraska and in the 2015 Senior Bowl. If his 45-yard run in the team’s first preseason game vs the New York Jets is any indication, NFL defensive players will have their hands full.
At 5’9″, 205 pounds, Abdullah isn’t going to truck a lot of defenders but he’s stronger than he looks. And when you combine that with his balance and elusiveness, he’s hard to get on the ground. Many including myself see him as a specialty back, taking the ball on pitches, screens, draws, swing passes and crossing routes but he’s not trying to hear that.
He was quoted by Big Red Today by in May when he was first drafted saying, “I’m going to do whatever they [the Lions] ask me to do, but I think I’m an every-down back. A lot of guys want to put me in the category of third-down back. For those who say that, I ask them to turn on my film.”
Yeah, turn on the film of that preseason game!