Tag: nfl draft

Alim McNeill latest Lion to earn extension, vows to continue working hard

Hutchinson update, new nickname for RBs, Branch honored

ALLEN PARK — Just when the Lions needed some good news after Aidan Hutchinson’s broken leg, they got it when defensive tackle Alim McNeill was signed to an extension through the 2028 season.

“I’m fired up for Mac, he earned that. He’s a pivotal piece here for us, he’s one of our pillars here,’’ coach Dan Campbell said on Wednesday. “We’re fired up for him. He’s playing at a high level and he’s going to have to continue.”

His new deal is worth $97 million with $55 million guaranteed, per ESPN.

McNeill had arguably his best game of the season with two sacks, seven pressures and four tackles in the 47-9 win at Dallas on Sunday.

“I wouldn’t say anything specific was clicking. No. 1, I was just getting off the ball. My main goal for that game was to get off the ball and everything else would solve itself,’’ McNeill said Wednesday. “So I would really say my get-off was clicking, I was able to get off, read plays and diagnose things quickly.’’

He feels the need to play that way every game especially with the long-term absence of Hutchinson.

“I feel I can do that, that’s what I do as a player when I’m locked in and honing on my keys. I do expect that from myself,’’ McNeill said. “That’s how we all feel, we’re going to have to step up in different areas and pick up slack in different areas that 97 had. Everybody 97 does a lot for us.’’

McNeill said he’s been focused on football so didn’t know the deal was close until his agents called and told him a few days ago. He hasn’t had time to celebrate and seems level-headed about the newfound riches. When asked how the deal would change his life, at first he just laughed.

“A lot. A full 360. As far as me, myself, it’s not going to change who I am, the person I am. I’m still going to come in here everyday and work like I did beforehand,’’ McNeill said.

Campbell said he kind of hates getting deals done in the season but he understands the timing.

“I mean it’s good but you’re trying to focus on football – they are, we are. Sometimes you start working on these and it takes a minute and bleeds into the season,’’ Campbell said. “It’s something we wanted to do. We wanted Mac around here long-term. I go back he’s one of the original, the original ‘21 (draft) class. He’s part of that core with (Amon-Ra) St. Brown and (Penei) Sewell and those guys.

“I’m glad we got that done, he earned it. Everybody loves Mac. It’s good to have Buttercup back,’’ said Campbell who came up with that nickname a few years ago.

McNeill was a third-round (72nd overall) draft pick by the LIons out of North Carolina State in 2021.

Scottie Montgomery, Lions running backs/assistant head coach, is from North Carolina too and remembers watching McNeill in high school play football and baseball.

“Sounds funny, fantastic baseball player. Fantastic. But a great football player as well. Really raised the right way if you talk to him you understand who he is, what type of person he is,’’ Montgomery said on Wednesday. “This is one of those stories if you do things the right way over and over again and you play at the Detroit Lions, you can see the people we’ve signed since January or February. This is the kind of place that takes  care of its own.’’

Since April, the Lions have extended Amon-Ra St. Brown, Penei Sewell, Jared Goff, Taylor Decker and David Montgomery.

NOTES: 

— Edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson is back in Michigan following surgery on Sunday in Texas to repair his broken tibia and fibula. “I talked to him yesterday and look he’s doing good. He’s trying to process everything, it’s still pretty new so exactly what is this, where do I go, which you would expect he’s laying in a hospital room with his leg up,’’ Campbell said.

“He’s back – he doesn’t want to be a stranger, he talked about being back a little bit when it made sense, he knows he’s welcome here any time. We’d love to see him, the whole team would love to see him, he’s a huge part of what we are and we hate it for him.’’

His recovery is expected to be four to six months.

— Isaiah Thomas, a defensive lineman who will wear No. 35, was signed off the Cincinnati Bengals practice squad. “This move felt right for us, we liked him, we’re glad he’s here. He brings more competition,’’ Campbell said. “We get somebody else to look at, he’s part of the mix and the more competition you bring in the better you find out and those guys go after it a little bit. It doesn’t mean we’re done, it means that’s where we’re at.’’

— Running backs Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery have landed on a nickname — Sonic and Knuckles after video game characters. “If you watch, David is a huge fan of cartoons, Disney channels and Sonic and Knuckles, the speed and brashness of Knuckles,’’ Montgomery said. “Of course I know about it because I have children. Sonic and Knuckles, it works well. I’m going to run with it.’’

—  Lions safety Brian Branch was named NFC defensive player of the week for his effort in the 47-9 win at Dallas where he had two interceptions and a forced fumble. e

— Lost in the news of Hutchinson’s serious injury, was that defensive tackle Kyle Peko suffered a torn pec at Dallas and is out for the season. “Peko has been one of those kind of silent producers for us, does all of the dirty work,’’ Campbell said. “And he’s the one who frees up Alex (Anzalone) and Jack (Campbell) and Rodrigo (Malcolm Rodriguez) and those guys to make the plays they make. … We hate it for him. We’re going to miss him too.’’

UP NEXT: Lions (4-1)  at Viking (5-0), 1 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 20, in the first divisional game for Detroit. The Vikings are 1-0 in NFC North after edging the Packers, 31-29, in Week 4.

Healthy Detroit Lions DL Levi Onwuzurike adds weight, reaps praise from Dan Campbell

ALLEN PARK —  Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell hesitates to heap too much praise on any of his guys since they are not wearing pads or as he says it, they’re in pajamas.

Still on Wednesday, the second day of Lions mandatory minicamp, the coach praised defensive lineman Levi Onwuzurike using a few words of caution.

“I just want to be careful because we’re not in pads, I want to reiterate that. But Levi is having a really good spring, (Josh) Pachal is too,’’ Campbell said. “But Levi, because of where he’s come from and all he’s had to deal with, this guy he’s continued to rehab, he’s continued to train his body. He’s put on weight because his back can handle it now. He’s having a really good spring.’’

Onwuzurike appreciates the message but he too knows that the real time for evaluation for defensive linemen is when the pads are on.

“I feel like he said there’s no pads so take it with a grain of salt. I’ve done what I worked out in the offseason to do,’’ Onwuzurike said. “I’ve made my place. I think I could’ve done better, 100 percent for sure could’ve done better,  but once again we’re not in pads so you can’t really review this.’’

Onwuzurike, the 2021 second-round pick who played 10 regular season and three playoff games in 2023, was coming off missing the whole of 2022 because of a back injury.

“All last year, for the most part, I wasn;t necessarily thinking about it last year but still had limits, you know what I’m saying,’’ Onwuzurike said. “Toward the playoffs is when I really started feeling good.’’

The coaches had asked him to gain weight in the offseason and through a diet heavy on steak, chicken breast and salmon, he did just that. He said he’s about 300 now where last year he played between 280 and 285 pounds.

The difference is his back can handle the extra pounds now.

“It limits you, your back separates your lower body and upper body. The best way I can explain it is that everything is moving together as one. Speed to power, my whole body feels like all one, all together,’’ Onwuzurike said.

He’s adding versatility to his playbook, seeing some time at edge in minicamp.

“You want to take all those opportunities you can, the more you can play, the more spots you can play, the more you’ll get out there,’’ Onwuzurike said. “I played (edge) in high school so I’ve kinda got it in my system.’’

He said he’s getting tip from Aidan Hutchinson, who excels on the edge, and veteran D.J. Reader who mostly plays at nose tackle.

“Whenever (Reader) is on the side and we come off, he gives us little pieces of advice. … Kind of take his word and take it out on the field,’’ Onwuzurike said.

After missing all of his second season in 2022  with that back issue, Onwuzurike is displaying that he’s 100 percent back during this minicamp.

“It’s good to see he’s put on weight which we talked about doing, he’s able to hold that weight, he’s strong, he’s explosive, he’s banking good reps right now,’’ Campbell said.

(Next up: The Lions wrap up the mandatory three-day minicamp on Thursday. Then the veterans will be done until training camp. The rookies are scheduled for practices next week.)

Detroit Lions rookie corners credit their moms with helping them reach the NFL

Terrion Arnold, Ennis Rakestraw Jr., saw first day of action at rookie minicamp on Friday

ALLEN PARK — Terrion Arnold, the Detroit Lions first-round draft pick, says his competitive nature was something he learned from his mom.

“I used to fight, just wrestling with her, playing around. I‘ll never forget that one time my mom kicked my tooth out because we were going at it so hard,’’ Arnold said after the opening day of Lions rookie minicamp on Friday.

“If my mom was out here right now and she lined up across from me as a receiver I would jam her into the dirt. My mom knows that right now, I just mean it football wise that’s the way I think , the way I was brought up,’’ the cornerback explained.

When he donned his uniform — featuring the number 0 — for the first time Friday morning, he sent a photo to his mom and family.

“And they were like, ‘You finally made it, now it’s time to get to work.’ So that’s just the structure and the way I was brought up,’’ Arnold said. “I made a name for myself in college (at Alabama), now it’s time to go out here. Coming here, coming to win, win the Super Bowl that’s the goal.’’

His mom sent him a devotional Friday morning telling him: “Son, you’re here for a reason, for such a time as this, go out and make it count.’’

Arnold said he also got his smile from his mom and he was flashing it after practice, interrupting cornerback Ennis Rakestraw Jr.’s press conference with a few questions of his own. Rakestraw returned the favor. They seem like close buddies already and the vibe seemed genuine.

“Those two are going to compete. I’m sure Rakestraw thinks he’s better and Terrion thinks he’s better. So they’re going to compete, which is a great thing for us, we want competitiveness,’’ Lions assistant GM Ray Agnew said on Friday.  “We don’t want guys that bow down, we want guys to compete and think they’re going to win the spot. I think both of those guys feel like they’re starters but they’ve got their work cut out for them.’’

While they look forward to learning from and competing with veterans, it was all smiles on Friday.

“Coming in here, being the young guys, the dynamic is we’re going to be here for a long time,’’ Arnold said. “We’re going to grow together, we’re going to excel together, take our losses together, take them on the chest. I just thank the organization for drafting both of us, that’s my brother right here.’’

Both agreed it was a dream come true to officially be an NFL player by slipping on the practice uniform..

Rakestraw, a second-round pick who will wear No 15, also credited his mom for helping him get this far.

“My mom had me three days after being 16, we had a real strong bond. I’m here today all thanks to her 100 percent, not me,’’ said Rakestraw who played at Missouri.

Rookie minicamp will wrap up on Sunday, Mother’s Day. Arnold and Rakestraw’s moms won’t see their sons that day, but they will have much to celebrate.