Tag: dan campbell

Detroit Lions trade up, draft DT Mekhi Wingo from LSU in 6th round

ALLEN PARK — The Detroit Lions traded up to draft DT Mekhi Wingo in the sixth round of Saturday’s draft. Detroit traded picks 205 and 249 to the Houston Texans to move up to 189.

Wingo, who is undersized at 6-foot and 284 pounds, calls himself a disruptor who likes a violent style of football. Sounds like a perfect fit for coach Dan Campbell.

“To make up for the lack of size I have to do the ordinary things extremely well,’’ Wingo said on a conference call on Saturday. “Like I have to have better eyes than a guy who is 6-5 and my hand placement has to be better. I’ve been undersized my whole life, it’s not just something that just happened.’’

In 2023, Wingo played in eight games with seven starts at LSU. He missed the end of the regular season with a lower-body injury, but returned for the team’s ReliaQuest Bowl win over Wisconsin. Many players heading to the NFL, skip the bowl game but it was important to Wingo and speaks to his character.

“Of course I could’ve just packed it up, declared and did this, but it really got to me watching my team lose a few games and me being on the sidelines,’’ Wingo said in a conference call on Saturday. “Once I had my surgery I just rehabbed my butt off and made the emphasis to get back on the field and be with my guys one last time.’’

A team captain, he finished the season with 25 tackles, 5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks. He started his collegiate career at Missouri and transferred to LSU for the 2022 season.

NFL.com analyst Lance Zierlein projected him as a fourth-round pick.

Zierlein’s analysis: “Wingo is a shade undersized, but his tape is fun to watch. He is compact and powerful, with the ability to separate and play off of lateral blocks quickly. He can be overcome by length or mass at times but is rarely dominated. He has first-step quickness and processing to beat blockers to erase their landmarks and is tremendously agile as a short-space tackler. Wingo has a hop-and-chop rush move typically seen from defensive ends and will be too athletic for some guards to handle as a pass rusher. Wingo could become an early backup as an even-front 3-technique but he has three down-potential and could eventually become a starter.”

He’s the Lions’ third defensive pick this draft. They selected cornerbacks Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw in the first two rounds. Wingo is the first defensive player out of LSU that the Lions have drafted since 1974. He and Rakestraw were teammates at Missouri for one season.

Detroit Lions draft Giovanni Manu, a Polynesian offensive tackle inspired by Penei Sewell

ALLEN PARK — It’s possible the Lions could have found another Penei Sewell type player when they moved up in the fourth round of Saturday’s NFL Draft to select offensive lineman Giovanni Manu. He’s the first player drafted in the NFL from the University of British Columbia.

Manu, who is 6-foot-7 and 352 pounds, was considered one of the more interesting draft prospects since he has never played football in the United States.

He was born and raised in Tonga which is a short plane ride away from Samoa, the home of Sewell.

“I look up to Penei a lot, I do study a lot of his film. I do think he’s the best tackle in the league right now,’’ Manu said on a conference call on Saturday. “He moves so fluid for how big he is. He’s an inspiration to the Polynesian community.’’

Manu said he watched Sewell’s draft process and remembers him saying that any Polynesian kids who want to make it to the NFL can do so if they put their minds to it.

“I was in my second year of college when he said that and I remember that it really motivated me,’’ Manu said. “I told myself if one of my Polynesian brothers can make it there’s no reason I can’t do it either. He’s a true inspiration to Samoa and the whole Polynesian community. It (will be) great to play with a guy to soak up as much information and technique from him.’’

Manu moved to British Columbia from Tonga, where he played rugby, when he was 11 to get a better education and have a better chance at a good life.

He was introduced to football via a two-minute highlight reel of Ray Lewis at work and started playing in 10th grade. 

His impressive Pro Day included a 4.96 40-yard dash and a 33.5-inch vertical. He made a visit to the Lions and was impressed with GM Brad Holmes and coach Dan Campbell.

“I loved my visit overall and I remember leaving and telling myself I felt at home here and I would not mind at all if these guys took a chance on me and I’m happy to be here now,’’ Manu said.

He played mostly left tackle in college but said he’d be happy to play wherever the Lions needed him the most.

“I think discovering American football has been the greatest blessing in my life and I love the sport,’’ Manu said.

Six picks later the Lions drafted running back Sione Vaki from Utah. (Stay tuned for more.)

Detroit Lions reveal new uniforms with a black alternate at Dan Campbell’s request

DETROIT — The black Detroit Lions jerseys have returned in part thanks to coach Dan Campbell.

In 2021, before he had coached his first Lions game, he made a request to Rod Wood, team president.

“We were in the draft room and he said, ‘Hey, Rod when can we get the black jerseys back?’ I said, ‘I’ll make you a deal, when you win the division, I’ll bring the black jerseys back. I went out on a limb and thankfully he delivered.’’

Campbell  had worn the black jerseys when he was a Lions tight end, so to him they were a throwback. 

So the coach held up his part of the deal when the Lions clinched the NFC North on Dec. 24.

And on Thursday night, the black jerseys (which were actually two years in the making) were introduced as the new alternate uniform at a reveal party at Ford Field for season ticket holders. Also revealed were new home and road uniforms with bold numbers and details that stand out. Campbell was welcomed with a standing ovation 

“The black ones seem to be the hit for a lot of people. Kerby (Joseph) was the perfect person to wear it too, we kind of lucked out with him volunteering,’’ Wood said. “The black with the black or we can wear blue pants with it, it’s going to be awesome.’’

Joseph ran onto the stage during his turn to “model” the uniform and hammed it up. It’s what the defensive back does. In fact, Joseph has been known to do a flip out onto the field. Wood advised him against it for the big reveal.

The blue numbers are a standout on the black jerseys.

“Honestly blue is my favorite color, but I think this blue is unique. It really pops. When we go out on the field it will pop,’’ Joseph said. “I feel this blue really stands out, I think it’s the boldness. See how big the numbers are?’’

What’s so special about black jerseys? “They’re like black Air Force 1s. We’re atomic when we wear these,’’ Joseph said.

Defensive tackle Alim McNeill modeled the road white uniform which has the word “Detroit” written above the number on front, while tight end Sam LaPorta was the first on stage with the new home blue jersey. Along for the ride were three Lions legends — Barry Sanders, Calvin Johnson and Chris Spielman.

On the inside collar are embroidered words: One Pride, Motor City and 313. Also, even the white and black jerseys are blue inside the collar. Because after all, Detroit is a blue collar town. It’s a motto that served the Lions well last season.

(The NFL draft, which will take place in Detroit, starts at 8 p.m. on Thursday, April 25, with the first round. Rounds 2-3 begin at 7 p.m. on April 26 and the draft winds up starting at noon on April 27.)