Getty Dan Campbell looks on during a Lions game in 2021.
Over a week ago, the Detroit Lions didn’t know what was going to happen in the NFL draft, and now that the event has played out, their future seems to be in even more focus and brighter.
Such is the way that things can change fast in the NFL. Detroit put together a solid weekend of work, but the reality is, momentum started during round one and built to a crescendo the rest of the weekend. Detroit head coach Dan Campbell would likely be a believer in that idea.
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Campbell, like the rest of Detroit’s brass, was in a holding pattern to wait and see what happened with Jacksonville’s top pick. When speaking with Sports Illustrated and writer Albert Breer, the coach admitted he had to come to the realization the team would actually land Hutchinson gradually, but was very excited to do so given what he brings to the field.
As Campbell told Breer:
“I’ll tell you what stuck out. I was like, My gosh, this guy’s relentless,” Campbell said Saturday morning. “I wrote down relentless, wrecking ball, explosive, good hand use. There’s a number of words I can use to describe him. But if you’re asking for one that just really stood out, it was he was relentless. And it was in both areas, run and pass game.”
Which, as Campbell saw it that night, made him a hard guy to play against—and a perfect fit for a coach and GM (Brad Holmes) looking to build a team that’s hard to play against.
“He’s a major pain in the a**, ’cause, look, he’s not going to just catch his breath on a play,” Campbell continued. “He’s catching his breath between plays, and when it’s time to go and they snap the ball, until they blow the whistle, this guy is all out, all the time. And I would say there’s a lot of refinement to him, he’s really worked his craft. But man, he’s got room to improve now. I’ll tell you what excites me about him is where his ceiling is.”
Hutchinson, many believe, doesn’t have as high of a ceiling as a player like Travon Walker or even Kayvon Thibodeaux in this draft at a similar position. This honest answer from Campbell tells you the Lions disagree with that assessment, and think he can be very good. The stats point to that, given Hutchinson’s stellar 2021 regular season with 14 sacks, 58 tackles and 2 forced fumbles. He lived up to Campbell’s creed of never taking plays off.
Overall, Campbell also praised the work of his general manager Brad Holmes to Breer. As he admitted, he thinks Holmes has “great vision” and is “knocking it out of the park” with regards to his plan in the last few drafts. After seeing what the Lions have been able to orchestrate, it is obvious why that is the case, and clear Hutchinson could be another big reason why.
Campbell Reveals Why He Loves Jameson Williams
Hutchinson wasn’t the only player the Lions were able to nab in the first-round that was a game-changer for the coach, though. Detroit traded up for wideout Jameson Williams from Alabama, and as to be expected, Campbell was a big fan of that move. Given all the speed and different elements Williams brings to the field, he became a player that Campbell loved and embraced during the pre-draft process.
“As was the case with Hutchinson, the tape made Campbell fall for the star receiver from Nick Saban’s powerhouse—Holmes gave the coach his top receivers to watch, and Campbell watched Williams last. “I’m like, Whoa, this is a little bit different now,” he said. “This player here, he puts the fear of God in a defense. And that’s what we want,” Campbell said in Breer’s piece.
Williams came to the Crimson Tide after 266 yards and 3 touchdowns and set the SEC on fire in 2021. Williams racked up 1,572 yards and 15 scores en-route to being one of the top players in college football, and Campbell was all-eyes. Clearly, he knows he can help.
Indeed, Detroit’s offense needs to start putting fear into something, because the Lions themselves had the 29th total offense in the NFL for 2021. That’s far too low to sustain any winning, something Campbell would likely agree with in a major way.
Now, though, he’s got a special talent in Williams to help in unlocking this group in the future.
Lions’ 2022 NFL Draft Was Solid Throughout
While these two moves made the most immediate headlines, the weekend of work was dominant for Detroit as a whole. In round one, Detroit started strong with defensive end Aidan Hutchinson from Michigan, who will be a slam-dunk fit for the defense as well as a hit locally given he grew up in town. After that, the Lions traded up for wideout Jameson Williams, who should add a dynamic element to their offense. Day two brought the team some more defensive help with gritty and classy Josh Paschal, who may also have a future in acting. Super athletic safety Kirby Joseph closed out the day, and should contend for a role quickly in the Motor City on a needy defense. During day three, the Lions added Virginia Tech tight end James Mitchell, Oklahoma State linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez, Jackson State linebacker James Houston and Arizona State cornerback Chase Lucas. Already, Rodriguez is seen as a potential steal.
All-told, it was a solid draft for the Lions that filled plenty of needs with high-character and quality players. That’s something which Campbell would likely agree with when all is said and done after the fact.
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Dan Campbell Offers Candid Thoughts on ‘Great Vision’ of Lions’ Draft