Tag: Brad Holmes

LB Jack Campbell, Lions’ first-round pick, brings ‘mutt mentality’ from Iowa

ALLEN PARK — When Iowan Jack Campbell is off the field he’s all about family, God and hunting. He doesn’t participate on social media because he’d rather spend time talking to friends and family rather than on the phone.

Who is this guy?

On the football field he’s considered one of the top linebackers to ever come from Iowa and impressed the Lions enough that they selected him with the 18th overall pick in the draft on Thursday night.

“I’m a Midwestern kid who I feel like up to this point has kind of earned everything I’ve gotten,’’ Campbell said at a press conference on Friday. “I feel I have an old school, blue-collar mindset and I feel like that’s made me .. what they like about me and I feel that’s a perfect fit for Detroit. People in the city work for everything they get, never complain, never point fingers and that’s who I am and I feel like I couldn’t be in a better city that represents them. I’m excited to get started with this.’’

In many mock drafts, Campbell was projected as a late first-round or early second-round pick but the Lions were thrilled to take him at 18.

“What I did tell people in the NFL as they came through, is that one thing I can feel confident in saying is whoever drafts him is not going to let him leave the building over the next 10 years,’’ Iowa football coach Kirk Ferentz said on a Zoom call Friday. “It’s one thing to get a really good football player, it’s another thing to get a guy who really adds value in so many other areas, I think that’s what Jack does, it’s just how he’s wired. To me that’s the bonus.’’

Campbell joins a linebacker room that includes Alex Anzalone, James Houston, Malcolm Rodriguez, Julian Okwara and Derrick Barnes. He said some of then have already reached out to him.

The 6-foot-5 linebacker lined up mostly inside at Iowa, but his versatility was another factor that attracted the Lions.

“I can tell you at our place, I’ve told people if we had five Jack Campbells all five would be starting. Two would’ve been our defensive ends and the other three would be linebackers,’’ Ferentz said. “He could’ve played any of the positions in our defense.’’

Last year Campbell was honored with the Butkus Award (nation’s top linebacker); William V. Campbell Trophy (best combination of academics, community service, and on-field performance); Nagurski–Woodson Defensive Player of the Year (Big Ten’s top defensive player) and was a two-time first-team All-Big Ten in 2021 and 2022.

While he seems straightforward and polite behind a podium, his mentality changes on the field.

“As soon as I step on the field I’m trying to put my teammates in the best position I can be, they can be in and I can be in. Whatever it takes to be as vocal as I’ve got to be, always having positive body language and always giving great effort but those are non-negotiables at the linebacker position,’’ Campbell said. “As soon as I step foot on the field nothing is more important than winning. Nothing is more important than going out there putting Jack Campbell’s best foot forward and also putting the linebackers’ best foot forward, pushing that room and getting pushed by those guys.’’

At first glance, he seems genuine and he doesn’t plan to alter that just because he is playing in the NFL.

“I’m going to come in with an attitude, I’m not going to change who I am. I’m going to stay true to myself as Jack Campbell and what worked at Iowa is how I’m going to carry myself here,’’ Campbell said. “All the linebackers at Iowa, our mentality was the mutt mentality. (Like) the mutt that all the little kids walked past because they wanted the new purebred puppies. That’s how I’m going to carry myself here.’’

Playing in the NFL was a childhood dream for Campbell who is trying to soak it all in since he got the phone call from GM Brad Holmes on Thursday night. He was at home in Cedar Falls, Iowa, with his family. Many of them joined him on his visit to Detroit on Friday.

Ferentz admits he’s “extremely biased” when it comes to Campbell who grew up about 90 miles from Iowa’s campus. The Iowa coach had his eye on him since 10th grade.

“My suspicion was that a smart team might jump there in the first round and grab him. … If you can get a guy like that I think you’re getting real value there and you’ve got to be thinking big picture, long game as well as short term,’’ Ferentz said. “To me, it’s a win-win.”

Lions WR Jameson Williams suspended 6 games; Moore, Cephus cut due to gambling violations

Lions wide receivers Jameson Williams and Stanley Berryhill have been suspended for six games by the NFL for gambling policy violations including betting from an NFL facility on non-NFL games.

The announcement was made on Friday morning by the team which also released wide receiver Quintez Cephus and safety C.J. Moore. Both were suspended indefinitely by the NFL earlier Friday for violating the league’s gambling policy, including betting on NFL games.

Both Berryhill and Williams can participate in off-season and pre-season activities leading up to their suspension, which will begin on the final roster cut-down date.

“As a result of an NFL investigation, it came to our attention that a few of our players had violated the league’s gambling policy,” Lions GM Brad Holmes said. “These players exhibited decision-making that is not consistent with our organizational values and violates league rules. We have made the decision to part ways with Quintez and C.J. immediately. We are disappointed by the decision-making demonstrated by Stanley and Jameson and will work with both players to ensure they understand the severity of these violations and have clarity on the league rules moving forward.”

Jameson, who was a first-round pick in 2022, played in six games (one reception, nine targets)  last season after rehabbing from an ACL knee injury that he had incurred before the draft. Holmes said on Thursday they drafted him with the vision of him making contributions starting this season. 

Berryhill spent most of last season on the Lions’ practice squad.

C.J. Moore, who has played for the Lions for four seasons, signed a two-year extension in March.

Cephus played in four games (two catches, one touchdown) last season which was his third with the Lions.

(Coming up: The NFL draft starts Thursday and runs through Saturday. The Lions have nine picks, including two in the first round.)

GM Brad Holmes says Detroit Lions have flexibility in NFL draft

Two first-round picks among 9 overall

ALLEN PARK — Once a year Lions GM Brad Holmes stands in front of the media to take pre-draft questions that he can’t answer. He’s good with it, understands it and while he’s not revealing the team’s draft board, he is able to give some  insight into the draft preparation.

The Lions have nine picks including two in the first round (sixth and 18th) in the three-day NFL draft, which opens Thursday, April 27.

Holmes and the Lions have put themselves in a position where there is flexibility in the process.

“There’s always something you’re going to have to address. We did a lot of things on defense in free agency and there are a lot of good defensive players in this draft. So we feel pretty comfortable,’’ Holmes said on Thursday. “Again, I just can’t pinpoint one position where we’re like ‘Oh my gosh if we don’t do that’ … I just think it’s a lot of different directions we can go. 

“We’re not perfect, we still have a lot of work to do, we understand that, we know that, we embrace it. I always tell people I embrace darkness, I embrace reality. We’re used to taking the hard road through the narrow gate. You’re always going to have to deal with stuff but we just deal with it and try to build the best we can,’’ he added.

Holmes explained that while looking at the depth chart is key in signing free agents who can be plugged in immediately, that is not how they look at it during the draft where the players are big long-term investments.

The Lions finished last season winning 8 of their last 10 games so expectations are high. Holmes and coach Dan Campbell have changed the culture and put their own stamp on the team. Holmes credited Campbell with jumping right from the end of the season to helping with the draft preparation.

They typically see eye to eye in player evaluations.

“Me and Dan say all the time these players have to fit here. It’s not like we have to chase this player with the red flags or whatever, it’s always case by case. I know you’re tired of me saying this but it’s just true,’’ Holmes said.

When it comes to making the draft decisions Holmes said he trusts his gut.

“You can look at all the data and research. We scrub it, we dive deep, but at the end of the day if it does not feel right. … It’s a little difficult whichever round, it can be in the seventh round. If you have to make that phone call that he’s going to be a Detroit Lion, you want to feel confident about it and you don’t want to have any nervousness about it,’’ Holmes said. “That’s where the gut piece comes in. I’ve always trusted it and I still trust it.’’

Having the two of the top 18 picks — sixth and 18th — makes the process more unpredictable to start. (The sixth pick came in the trade of Matthew Stafford to the Rams.)

“Having those two picks they’re kind of in unique spots depending on what’s going to happen in front of you and behind you,’’ Holmes said. “Where we are right now, I say we have a lot of flexibility, we can go in a lot of directions. We feel good about that, but it’s just a little different.’’

Last year, Holmes selected defensive lineman Aidan Hutchinson and wide receiver Jameson Williams in the first round.

Four of the 2022 draft picks started on defense in the final game, the win at Green Bay. They included Hutchinson, linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez (sixth round), linebacker James Houston (sixth round) and safety Kerby Joseph (third round).

After the first round next Thursday, the Lions have two second-round picks (48th and 55th), one in the third round (81st), two in the fifth round (152nd and 159th) and two in the sixth round (183rd and 194th).