Historically, the Detroit Lions have not been able to consistently identify and draft high-level cornerback talent to add to its secondary, but that narrative is beginning to change.
Amani Oruwariye has been a revelation for the team in 2021, leading Detroit in interceptions (6) and ranking third among NFL defenders at taking the ball away from opposing quarterbacks. As a result, the 2019 fifth-round pick is looking like a major draft steal for the team moving forward.
The latest Lions news straight to your inbox! Join the Heavy on Lions newsletter here!
That’s just what Fox Sports NFL analyst Peter Schrager sees as one of his biggest storylines in the league coming toward the end of the season. As he explained, Oruwariye’s work on the field this year has earned him some major praise.
“A third-year player who was well-liked but hardly a star under the previous regime, Oruwariye is quickly becoming one of the most feared defensive backs in the sport,” Schrager wrote.
“At 6-foot-2, he is a long, big-bodied force to be reckoned with.”
Oruwariye has collected 6 interceptions in 2021 and seems to have one of the brighter trajectories in the league moving forward. That’s the hope, and something folks around the league seem to see.
Injury Ends Oruwariye’s 2021 Season Early
Sadly for the Lions, the dream of seeing Oruwariye finish out the season was dashed for good over the weekend. A thumb injury is sending him to the injured reserve, and as a result, he is being shut down due to the injury for the rest of the year for surgery, something Dan Campbell alluded to last week when speaking with the media.
Now that this is the case, it represents a sad break for Oruwariye in terms of being able to finish this season strong. Still, it doesn’t diminish what he accomplished whatsoever on the field, particularly his best interception in Week 15.
For Detroit, the biggest hope would be Oruwariye can come back stronger in 2022 now that missing the rest of the year is going to play out.
Oruwariye’s Career Stats & Highlights
During his 2019 rookie season, Oruwariye didn’t do much statistically for the team early on as he battled a knee injury early on, and as a result, his stats weren’t that robust. Oruwariye finished 2019 with 2 interceptions and 19 tackles for the Lions, but has been a player who has delivered before, given his work in college.
In 2020, he had 53 tackles, 7 passes defended and an interception, easily eclipsing his statistical work from the season prior, setting him on a good trajectory for the future.
While playing for Penn State, Oruwariye put up 108 tackles and 8 interceptions while scoring a touchdown. Obviously, the Lions have to hope that as he comes along, Oruwariye can manage to continue his ball-hawking ways as he did for the Nittany Lions for years.
So far in Detroit, he’s shown an ability to step up and stick in coverage which is great news for the Lions. It only serves to prove how consistently good Oruwariye has been in 2021 and how important he could be for the future.
READ NEXT: Dan Campbell’s Hot Seat Given Unsurprising Ranking
Lions CB Among NFL’s ‘Most Feared,’ Says Analyst