Detroit Lions

Fantasy managers often look for impact rookies in the first round of the NFL draft, but Amon-Ra St. Brown could be a difference-maker in his first year despite going in the fourth round to the Detroit Lions.

Even though the USC receiver lasted until Day 3, the Lions might have gotten a major steal with this pick. He was rated the 70th overall player by Bleacher Report's Scouting Department and the 12th-best receiver, but he lasted until pick No. 112 in the draft.

The upside is there as a true playmaker who showcased excellent hands throughout his career:

The @Lions just got a big time offensive threat in @USC_FB WR @amonra_stbrown 🔥 pic.twitter.com/RsgEFwKtvb

— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) May 1, 2021

St. Brown finished with 178 catches for 2,270 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns across 30 games in his three years with the Trojans. He scored seven touchdowns in 2020 despite only appearing in six games because of the shortened season.

At 5'11", 197 pounds, the wideout can make a quick transition to the NFL with his ability to make catches close to the line of scrimmage.

From a fantasy perspective, he might have landed in the perfect location on a team that is lacking proven options at wideout.

You HAVE to love the landing spot for Amon-Ra St. Brown who may just lead Detroit wideouts in targets in his first season.

— Chris Meaney (@chrismeaney) May 1, 2021

The Lions lost Kenny Golladay and Marvin Jones Jr. to free agency and had only replaced them with Breshad Perriman. The team chose not to address the position with its first four picks but still got a quality target in St. Brown.

Look for the rookie to link up with Jared Goff early and often while especially becoming a threat in points-per-reception leagues. 

HEIGHT: 6'0 3/8"

WEIGHT: 238

POSITIVES

—Rare size for an off-ball linebacker, which should help as a "Mike" or "Sam" prospect.

—Played defensive end full-time in prior years and played end situationally in pass-rushing situations in 2020.

—Savvy in coverage to find players in his zone drops.

—Does a great job playing over blocks made by fullbacks and tight ends.

—Good play recognition on play action.

—A secure tackler.

             

NEGATIVES

—Good athlete for his size, but lacks traditional foot speed in space compared to NFL linebackers.

—Angles taken can be too shallow at times.

—Not the most fluid athlete from a sideline-to-sideline perspective.

           

2020 STATISTICS

54 TKL, 5.5 TFL, 1 INT, 1 PBU

             

NOTES

—Originally committed to Western Kentucky but joined Jeff Brohm, who left Western Kentucky, at Purdue.

—State champion shot put thrower as a senior in Kentucky.

—Played defensive end and linebacker at Purdue.

              

OVERALL

Derrick Barnes' size does not correlate well for a full-time pass-rusher at the NFL level, but he transitioned later in his Purdue career to a true off-ball linebacker position that allowed him to drop down to the line of scrimmage on pass-rushing downs. He is somewhat of a hybrid, as his skill set will demand to put him into the right positions, but we have seen that succeed if the team commits, like with Kyle Van Noy.

Immediately, Barnes should be viewed as a backup linebacker, edge-rusher and special teamer who can save a team a roster spot due to his versatility. He has the potential to grow into a mid-level starting linebacker down the line if he can be played into the right roles in situational football.

             

GRADE: 7.3/10 (Round 4)

OVERALL RANK: 114/300

POSITION RANK: LB9

PRO COMPARISON: Kyle Van Noy

               

Written by B/R NFL Scout Justis Mosqueda

HEIGHT: 5'11 1/2"

WEIGHT: 197

         

POSITIVES

—Above-average athlete with good body control. Plays with good tempo. Knows how to settle into soft spaces versus zone coverages and on scramble drills.

—Very comfortable extending away from his body with flashes of natural hands. Has a good catching range and paired with his body movement allows him to generate a few yards immediately after the catch. Will climb the ladder for throws over the middle. Wins on contested catches.

—Very good ball tracking skills on deep balls, comfortable tracking over his shoulder and finishing the catch.

—Competitive and physical. Will get after defenders in the run game and will attack the ball in the air. Shows good play strength throughout his game.

—Shows the ability to win on his releases in the slot and on the outside with refined footwork and does a good job of varying it up.

       

NEGATIVES

—Doesn't consistently create separation and is forced to come down with a lot of contested catches.

—Struggles to accelerate quickly after the catch. Catch-and-tackle type that will win on his releases but lack of ability to pull away lets defenders catch up.

—Short and intermediate route running will continue to need work if he will primarily operate from the slot at the next level.

—Can get a little crazy and off-balanced when trying to block. Tries to do too much.

—Plays more to his speed testing numbers than his jump testing. 

      

2020 STATISTICS

6 G, 41 rec., 478 yards, 11.7 avg., 7 TD

     

NOTES

—Older brother Equanimeous was a sixth-round selection for the Green Bay Packers in the 2018 NFL Draft.

—Father, John Brown, was a two-time Mr. Universe. 

     

OVERALL

Amon-Ra St. Brown played on the outside and in the slot over his college career, where he showed off his body control and play strength on his releases and while blocking in the run game. St. Brown's routes are consistently in tempo and he shows off strong hands and the ability to extend and come down with catches away from his body.

Despite strong testing in his jump numbers, St. Brown's game does not feature a ton of explosiveness. Although he does show strong hands and the ability to win versus press, he struggles to maintain the separation he initially created (hence the ability to come down with contested catches). St. Brown does have a good feel versus zone coverages and on scramble drills, showing the ability to settle and find soft spots. His good hand-eye coordination also pops up with his very good ball tracking ability on deep throws.

For the NFL, St. Brown's best role would be as a power slot type of player who you can play for spells on the outside. This would feature his strong blocking, feel on routes, and tough play and hide some of his play speed deficiencies and lack of ability to create with the ball in his hands. Think of him as an efficient No. 3-type piece for a good offense, but not an explosive player. 

     

GRADE: 7.7/10 (2nd-3rd round)

OVERALL RANK: 70/300

POSITION RANK: WR12

PRO COMPARISON: Robert Woods

      

Written by B/R NFL Scout Nate Tice

USC wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown is now a member of the Detroit Lions after being selected with the 112th overall pick during the fourth round of the NFL draft Saturday. 

Detroit's depth chart breaks down as follows with St. Brown on board.

QB: Jared Goff, Tim Boyle, David Blough

RB: D'Andre Swift, Jamaal Williams, Kerryon Johnson 

WR 1: Breshad Perriman, Victor Bolden Jr. 

WR 2: Tyrell Williams, Quintez Cephus, Tom Kennedy

WR 3: Amon-Ra St. Brown, Kalif Raymond

TE: T.J. Hockenson, Josh Hill, Hunter Bryant, Alize Mack, Hunter Thedford 

LT: Taylor Decker, Dan Skipper, Matt Nelson

LG: Jonah Jackson

C: Frank Ragnow, Evan Brown 

RG: Logan Stenberg

RT: Penei Sewell, Tyrell Crosby, Halapoulivaati Vaitai

St. Brown had 41 catches for 478 yards and seven touchdowns in six games during the coronavirus pandemic-shortened 2020 season. The year before, St. Brown snagged 77 passes for 1,042 yards and six scores.

The 5'11", 197-pound St. Brown is listed as the B/R NFL Scouting Department's 38th-best draft prospect overall and ninth-best wideout. He was given a grade of 7.8 out of 10, meaning he slid into the "potential NFL starter" portion of the scale as a second- or third-round pick.

Lance Zierlein of NFL.com offered the following write-up on St. Brown:

"Has been both an inside and outside receiver over the last two seasons, but might lack the speed and strength to make a living outside at the pro level. Despite average foot quickness, St. Brown will vary his press release and displays polish as a route-runner from the slot. He's unlikely to gain consistent vertical separation but has above-average tracking talent and body control to improve his chances for success.

"His focus drops underneath are a concern and his run blocking can be woeful at times. There is nothing dazzling about his athletic profile or overall game, but he's a solid football player with a chance to become a starting slot in the future."

Drae Harris of the Draft Network wrote that St. Brown's ideal scheme fit is in a "vertical or a quick-timing offense with spread principles."

We'll soon find out if St. Brown's tremendous college production translates to the NFL. At any rate, he's now the second St. Brown brother to play in the league, with his elder sibling Equanimeous currently a Green Bay Packer              

St. Brown joins a brand-new wide receiver room that includes Tyrell Williams, Breshad Perriman and Quintez Cephus. He should have every opportunity to supplant himself as a fixture in a Lions offense trying to turn a new page after trading Matt Stafford to the Los Angeles Rams and letting wideouts Kenny Golladay and Marvin Jones Jr. leave in free agency. St. Brown will catch passes from ex-Rams quarterback Jared Goff and could be the team's No. 1 slot wideout in 2021.

HEIGHT: 6'2½"

WEIGHT: 205

    

POSITIVES

— Has great length and size.

— Good speed and explosiveness run with receivers.

— Good feet out of breaks with smooth hip swivel.

— Solid tackler who runs through ball-carriers.

— Strong player who is physical in block destruction.

     

NEGATIVES

— Struggles with pad level. Will get high and round breaks.

— Has average recovery speed. Can take a few steps to get to top speed.

— Can be lazy in press coverage. Gives inside too easily.

     

2020 STATISTICS

54 tackles, 1 sack, 1 INT, 6 PBU

      

OVERALL

Melifonwu is an elite athlete with ideal size for a defensive back. He plays with very good strength and an aggressive play style. He is very smooth for his size and is able to play multiple positions in the defensive backfield; along with multiple techniques. When in the right position he has the speed to run deep. Due to his size, he can struggle with change of direction and some double moves. He will have to work to sharpen his man coverage. With his size and skills, Melifonwu could easily fit into a zone scheme. Also with the plus of his size and strong tackling ability, Melifonwu could potentially make the move to safety, if cornerback doesn't work out.

     

GRADE: 7.4 (potential NFL starter, Round 4)

OVERALL RANK: 104/300

POSITION RANK: CB13

PRO COMPARISON: Sean Smith

     

Written by B/R NFL Scout Cory Giddings

HEIGHT: 6'1 7/8"

WEIGHT: 317

              

POSITIVES

—Quick reader who is difficult to down block.

—Shuck move, read live off of his bull rush, is his best pass-rushing move.

—Played a true nose tackle position frequently in his defensive structure.

—Strong enough upper body to win with a bull rush at the NFL with his hand placement.

—Well-developed locked-out long-arm technique allows him to be patient and read the backfield.

—Stack and shed ability is a premium trait.

                             

NEGATIVES

—Second effort and ability as a run-and-chase player is not evident, as he essentially plays in a phone booth.

—Pass rushing ability is limited for a defensive tackle prospect of his caliber.

—Foot speed limits him when attempting to keep contained on stunts.

—Was rotated fairly often at NC State, and the number of snaps he can play per game or per season in the NFL may be an issue.

               

2020 STATISTICS

25 TKL, 4.5 TFL, 1 SK, 1 INT, 1 FR, 1 FF, 1 TD

               

NOTES

—Originally enrolled at NC State as both a football and baseball player before focusing on football full-time.

—Brother just signed with Oregon in the past recruiting cycle.

—Was a highly sought-after recruit as a prep, turning down an offer from Alabama to attempt to play two sports for the Wolfpack.

               

OVERALL

Alim McNeill has been a consistent player for NC State, playing in 35 games and making 18 starts over three years with the Wolfpack before declaring early for the NFL draft. His career began with freshman All-American honors as a rotational player before capping off his junior season with First-Team All-ACC honors.

His scouting report can be summed up with the term “space-eater,” as that was his primary objective in college, but his 4.96-second 40-yard dash time and background as a high school running back is opening eyes to the untapped potential he might have as a penetrator in a different scheme than the one he played in with the Wolfpack.

               

GRADE: 7.52/10 (Round 3)

OVERALL RANK: 85/300

POSITION RANK: DL8

PRO COMPARISON: Larry Ogunjobi

               

Written by B/R NFL Scout Justis Mosqueda

Do not make new Detroit Lions defensive tackle Levi Onwuzurike angry. You won't like him when he's angry. 

Which, on the field, sounds like it's all the time. 

"I like f--king people up," Detroit's second-round pick told reporters Friday. "I like to get off the line and just put my helmet or my hands on an offensive lineman and f--k up an offensive scheme, pretty much. I like pushing 'em back two, three yards and just making 'em feel like sh-t."

Well then. We appreciate your candor, Mr. Onwuzurike, and us non-NFL players will give you a wide and respectful berth. 

But in all honesty, that's the mentality you want from a defensive tackle. You want guys who will go to battle in the trenches, who want to dominate the line of scrimmage and blow up the blocking scheme. Clearly, Onwuzurike has the right mentality. 

Detroit bet a second-round pick that he has the ability, too. 

HEIGHT: 6'2⅞"

WEIGHT: 290

     

POSITIVES

—Has experience in Washington's NFL-style defense as both a one-gap 3- and 1-tech as well as a two-gap 0-tech nose tackle.

—Did not base as a nose tackle in Washington's defense, but when given the reps, he showed he had the length to contribute at the position.

—Often wins plays with hand placement and arm lockouts.

—Aware enough as a pass-rusher to be able to set up countermoves such as inside swims in non-blitz situations.

—Has high play recognition for an interior defensive lineman; retraces his steps on screens and draws and often chases down plays from behind.

—Isn't so focused on penetration to bypass his assignment, giving him the mindset to contribute inside of the guards at the NFL level.

—Showed he could win in a half-man alignment at the college level, which will be a big sell for 4-3 teams and blitz-focused 3-4 teams.

   

NEGATIVES

—Does not have the prototypical weight requirement of a down-to-down nose tackle.

—Doesn't lack the athleticism at 3-technique to play there in the NFL, but he is not special in that department.

—Lateral movement skills, with his best pass-rushing moves being based out of counters, may limit him to 3-technique.

—Rotated in a healthy defensive line room more so than other interior line prospects, meaning he was playing on film with fresh legs compared to others.

     

2020 STATISTICS

Did not play in 2020.

      

NOTES

—Declared for the NFL draft in September and did not play the 2020 season.

—Played high school football for Allen High School, which has produced the likes of Kyler Murray, Cedric Ogbuehi and Greg Little in recent years.

—Was healthy enough to play in 39 of 40 potential games in his college career before his early declaration in 2020.

      

OVERALL

Onwuzurike is a quality football player, at least when we saw him last on the field in 2019, but there are questions about how special his skill set is and how valuable those traits are. Between the guards, he lacks the weight of a traditional nose tackle. Outside of the guards, he does not have special athleticism that will make him a high-quality 3-technique. Overall, he is a sound defensive tackle who can fill snaps for a team that did not get any pocket push in 2020, as long as it is confident that the player it saw in 2019 is the same player it is getting in 2021.

     

GRADE: 7.72/10 (Round 2)

OVERALL RANK: 57/300

POSITION RANK: DL5

PRO COMPARISON: Folorunso Fatukasi

     

Written by B/R NFL Scout Justis Mosqueda

Penei Sewell is headed to the Detroit Lions after the team drafted him with the No. 7 overall pick on Thursday, and that decision is expected to be one that makes a major impact on the league—to at least one NFL coach. 

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that one coach referred to Sewell as "the one surefire Hall of Famer" in the 2021 draft class.  

Sewell, who doesn't turn 21 until October, opted out of the 2020 season at Oregon, shrinking an already smaller sample size. He missed six games with a high ankle sprain in 2018, but he made up for all of it in 2019, building a resume that made him worthy of a top-10 pick.

The offensive tackle, who stands at 6'4⅞" and weighs in at 331 pounds, was named the AP Pac-12 Co-Offensive Player of the Year and was a unanimous first-team All-American, also winning the 2019 Outland Trophy and Morris Trophy. 

In that season, he never allowed a sack through 926 snaps played, and his 58 tackles led the Ducks. Bleacher Report's NFL Scouting Department ranked him as the No. 4 player available in the 2021 draft class. 

With any potential Hall of Fame selection a ways away, his selection should have major implications for a Detroit Lions offensive line that allowed 42 sacks in 2020, ranking 10th in the league.

The Detroit Lions selected Oregon standout Penei Sewell with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft.

The 20-year-old opted out of the 2020 college football season amid the COVID-19 pandemic, remaining firm in his decision after the Pac-12 laid out plans for a shortened schedule. 

From a draft perspective, the move didn't change much for Sewell because he was already widely considered one of the top players in the 2021 draft class. Playing another year with the Ducks wouldn't have improved his stock much, especially with Clemson's Trevor Lawrence effectively a lock at No. 1.

Sewell was an Outland Trophy winner and a unanimous All-American as a sophomore in 2019.

NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah evaluated the 6'6" lineman last June and wrote how "there aren't many flaws in Sewell's game" while comparing him to three-time Pro Bowler Taylor Lewan:

"Sewell has ideal size, quickness and power for the position. In the passing game, he's quick out of his stance and does a nice job of staying square against his opponent. He's a knee-bender and rarely lunges or loses his balance. He has extremely strong hands to lock on and steer edge rushers. [...]

"In the run game, Sewell consistently gets underneath defenders, uproots and moves them off the line of scrimmage. He excels when he's pulling or working up to the second level, and he gets there in a hurry. The 2019 Outland Trophy winner (best interior lineman) also collects plenty of knockdowns against second- and third-level defenders."

Watch any of Sewell's highlights, and it's readily apparent why he's held in such high esteem. He possesses the lateral agility to stymie opposing pass-rushers and the quickness to get into the next level to open lanes on running plays or quick screens:

.@peneisewell58 is a one-man wrecking crew. 🚜

The @oregonfootball lineman earns the #Pac12FB Offensive Lineman of the Week after spearheading a Ducks’ ground game that racked up 2️⃣4️⃣7️⃣ rushing yards.https://t.co/m43pfMVpZz pic.twitter.com/NyLkOq8aFL

— Pac-12 Network (@Pac12Network) September 16, 2019

8️⃣th time this season with no pressure, hurry or hit on the QB. He’s looking good going into the #Pac12FCG. 👀@peneisewell58 earns the #Pac12FB Offensive Lineman of the Week honors for the 4️⃣th time this season. ➡️ https://t.co/5NVUJyrVzP pic.twitter.com/L0yJM2THMM

— Pac-12 Network (@Pac12Network) December 2, 2019

SiriusXM NFL Radio's Geoff Schwartz also explained why Sewell's relative inexperience at the college level (21 total appearances) worked to his benefit in the eyes of NFL evaluators:

the reason we like him. It’s because of the rare occurrence of the room for so much growth while already being outstanding. He’s going to be 20. He’s going to improve his body so much. He’s started less than 20 games. He can improve his technique, especially in pass pro

— Geoff Schwartz (@geoffschwartz) February 11, 2021

Super Bowl LV perfectly illustrated how even an elite quarterback doesn't stand a chance without adequate pass protection. The Kansas City Chiefs were without multiple starters along their offensive line—including left tackle Eric Fisher—so it was open season on Patrick Mahomes.

Russell Wilson generally hasn't been outspoken when it comes to criticizing his team, which made it all the more newsworthy when he expressed the need for the Seattle Seahawks to strengthen up front.

With Sewell, Detroit may have found the foundation of its line. Here is the updated depth chart after the first-round pick.

    

QB: Jared Goff, Tim Boyle, David Blough

RB: D'Andre Swift, Jamaal Williams, Kerryon Johnson 

WR 1: Breshad Perriman, Victor Bolden Jr. 

WR 2: Tyrell Williams, Quintez Cephus, Tom Kennedy

WR 3: Kalif Raymond

TE: T.J. Hockenson, Josh Hill, Hunter Bryant, Alize Mack, Hunter Thedford 

LT: Taylor Decker, Dan Skipper, Matt Nelson

LG: Jonah Jackson

C: Frank Ragnow, Evan Brown 

RG: Logan Stenberg

RT: Penei Sewell, Tyrell Crosby, Halapoulivaati Vaitai

By hiring a new general manager and head coach this offseason, the Lions made it clear they were building things from the ground up after the Matt Patricia era.

With the arrival of Sewell, some may begin to wonder whether Taylor Decker is on the trade block. He has been the starting left tackle since Detroit used a first-rounder on him in 2016, but Decker is signed through the 2024 season, so there isn't a lingering threat of him leaving as a free agent.

Perhaps the team simply sees Decker's future on the right side, with Sewell eventually taking over at left tackle.