NFL Training Camps: Detroit Lions Rookie Report
By Jon Dove
The Detroit Lions are hoping they found a new leader of their defense in 2017 NFL Draft.
Jarrad Davis was drafted by the Detroit Lions to come in and be one of the leaders of the defense. He’s expected to begin the season as the team’s starting inside linebacker and make most of the in-play adjustments.
Davis has a reputation as a vocal leader who handled similar duties while at Florida. He’s a smart player that is capable of making both pre and post-snap reads. His overall instincts and quick decision making are one of his best attributes.
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He brings added value in that he’s a very strong coverage linebacker. The Lions will get an immediate impact from their 1st round pick.
Some were surprised when the Lions drafted Teez Tabor in the 2nd round. Many expected a bigger fall for the cornerback after he posted poor 40-times in workouts. However, the Lions were able to look past those numbers and see his upside.
Tabor is an instinctive player who has a knack for generating turnovers. He had some of the best ball skills out of all the defensive back prospects in the draft. His lack of elite speed may be an issue at times, but the Lions will work to hide this weakness.
Kenny Golladay had a nice offseason and is looking to use training camp to grab the No. 3 receiver job. He will be mainly competing against Jared Abbrederis and TJ Jones for the job. The Lions are need to find a reliable No. 3 target after Anquan Boldin wasn’t re-signed.
Brad Kaaya was a solid pick late in the draft. He represents a developmental quarterback who could eventually be flipped for some draft picks. It never hurts to add high-upside quarterbacks later in the draft.
Overall, the Lions are looking for Davis and Tabor to be major contributors. Their addition could help the defense catch up to what was an explosive offense last year.