Getty Malcolm Rodriguez on the field for the Lions in a 2022 game vs. Washington.
The Detroit Lions’ rookie class was fantastic in the 2022-23 season, and it’s hard to identify which player was the best since all of them brought something unique to the table.
Linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez did make a good case for himself with some very solid play and some good statistics. Perhaps the best of those statistics ended up being with regards to tackles.
This past season, as Detroit’s PR account showed off, Rodriguez finished with 12 tackles for loss or no gain, and logged at least one tackle for-loss in eight games, which was tied for a rookie lead.
.@Lions LB @malcolmlrod finished the 2022 season with 12 tackles for loss or no gain, the most by any @NFL rookie (per @PFF).
He logged at least 1 TFL in eight different games this season, tied for the NFL’s rookie lead.
“Lions LB Malcolm Rodriguez finished the 2022 season with 12 tackles for loss or no gain, the most by any NFL rookie (per PFF). He logged at least one TFL in eight different games this season, tied for the NFL’s rookie lead,” the site tweeted.
Rodriguez had a reputation as a player who flew all over the field and made big plays, and the fact he was a sound tackler who made an impact was very significant for the Lions and their defense. That’s huge, because the Lions have struggled with tackling on the back end on defense.
In the future, Rodriguez is going to be counted on to do some more damage for the Lions and their defense. The fact that he was able to get off to such a great start in his career is very notable.
Rodriguez Cracked PFWA Rookie List
Perhaps the best honor that Rodriguez received for his play was the fact that he was called out for being one of the t
The pair of defensive end Aidan Hutchinson as well as Rodriguez were selected to the PFWA All-Rookie team for their work during the 2022-23 season on the field.
While Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner took home Rookie of the Year honors, Hutchinson was called out as a top defensive end by writers in the piece as well as Rodriguez at linebacker. As the piece said, Detroit was one of just seven teams with two all-rookie selections.
“Seven teams – the Baltimore Ravens, Detroit Lions, Los Angeles Chargers, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Seattle Seahawks and Tennessee Titans – each had two All-Rookie selections. In all, 20 clubs are represented among the 27 players honored,” the site revealed.
It was quite a feather in the cap for Rodriguez to be on this list, and it proves how elite he played this season for the Lions on defense as a whole.
Rodriguez Enjoyed Great Rookie Year
So far this year, these kind of accolades and statistical honors are only one part of the story for Rodriguez. The rookie has come to play no matter what type of shout-outs he has received for his work.
Statistically, Rodriguez has been very solid for the Lions, if not elite in his own way. The linebacker has put up a total of 87 tackles, one forced fumble and one sack this season. He long felt like a lock to finish with more than 80 tackles this season given how active he is.
Overall, Rodriguez has been one of the most pleasant surprises on the entire team for the Lions. He continues to impress week in and week out, and managed to finish the season as one of Detroit’s best rookie linebackers in a while statistically.
That shows the Lions have a true building block in Rodriguez, and a guy capable of putting up elite tackling stats.