The Detroit Lions have proven to have a good eye for talent in their secondary this year, and could be getting a jump-start on providing some competition for the group in 2022 and beyond.
It appears as if the team is prepared to search far and wide for additions, and even managed to get a look at a recent stud from the Canadian Football League in 2021. Cornerback Dee Alford might not be a household name in the states, but he has already been getting it done in Canada this year.
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This week, the Lions hosted Alford for a visit. NFL insider Aaron Wilson was the first to reveal the news that the Lions hosted Alford and got a closer look at him.
Dee Alford visited the Lions
Alford has enjoyed a strong season in the CFL, helping the Winnipeg Blue Bombers to the Grey Cup title this month and also being named a CFL All-Star for this year. Now, the NFL could look to Alford as an in-demand free agent. Already, the Lions have been joined by the Chicago Bears in getting a look at Alford in their facility.
In terms of CFL talent, Alford could end up being an in-demand free agent for teams to court to the league if they think his skills will translate.
Lions Cornerbacks Having Strong 2021 Season
Though adversity hit the group in the first game with the loss of Jeff Okudah as well as the Week 2 loss of Ifeatu Melifonwu, the Lions managed to do a great job in getting some young players to elevate their game fast. Jerry Jacobs has become a star, and right up until he was lost to an unfortunate ACL injury, was having a very strong season at cornerback. Fellow undrafted free agent AJ Parker has come on strong as well, and the team is getting good contributions from others like Will Harris and Tracy Walker.
This season, Aaron Glenn and Aubrey Pleasant have done a great job to develop the young talent that the Lions have found. With this in mind, if Alford is the choice, folks would have to trust that the team was making the best decision based on this track record.
Alford’s Career Stats & Highlights
In terms of Alford, the Lions probably like his ability to be sticky with ball skills, which is a trait they like in cornerbacks. This season for the Blue Bombers, Alford put up 48 tackles and had 4 interceptions to his credit, which were good enough numbers to earn him plenty of accolades for his play. Here’s some highlights from his season in the CFL:
In college, Alford played for Tusculum University (TN) from 2016 to 2019 where he played in 40 games and recorded 140 tackles and 10 interceptions for the Pioneers. He also had 40 passes defended in his college career, which holds as a school record. That production didn’t get him on many NFL radars, but when combined with his solid work in the CFL, it could be enough to earn him a contract in the league.
Will it be with the Lions and Brad Holmes? That remains to be seen.
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Lions Host Visit With Productive CFL Champion and All-Star Cornerback