Getty Dan Campbell coaching the Lions against the Browns in 2021.
The Detroit Lions completed the week in Mobile, Alabama at the Senior Bowl and managed to do some good scouting along the way, but a good question exists in the form of how a staff approaches such an event.
Dan Campbell got a chance to get his hands dirty along with his staff during the week, and it sounded as if the coach was satisfied with the work he was able to do from a scouting and talent identifying standpoint. Some lessons also emerged from the week as it relates to what the Lions want to accomplish from getting to know players better.
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Speaking with Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network, Campbell was asked about his approach to scouting this week and what type of things he was looking for from players. As he said, it was more than just the big plays and consistency of talent, but rather, the type of person that the team is looking to acquire.
Chatting with #Lions coach Dan Campbell as the practice week wraps up at the @seniorbowl @nflnetwork
“I think you’re looking for guys who have a little bite back to them, a little resiliency. You see some of these guys, how they handle the adversity. If they mess something up how do they respond? Do they go in the tank, or do they snap back? If they don’t like something, are they willing to stand up for themselves but yet keep their emotions under control? They’re not going to be flag machines, so you’re just looking for those little things,” Campbell told Pelissero.
It takes more than just talent to have a winning roster as the Lions have found out through the years. Players have to have the right mindset and the right approach and fit the teams they are heading to top to bottom. Poor fits culturally often raise the bust factor, so credit Campbell and the Lions for realizing this and making it a big part of their approach to team building.
Campbell Working Hard During Senior Bowl
If there’s one thing Campbell learned from his time in New Orleans from Payton and company, it was how there are no substitutes for constant grinding, even during the offseason. While joining the media from Alabama, Campbell discussed where the team is at during the offseason and hinted that the work is ongoing for the team even though the offseason is now in full-swing. As part of that, Campbell believes he is at an advantage getting to roam the field this week and wear plenty of hats.
“We’re talking about free agents, we’re talking about other guys who are going to be involved in the draft who aren’t at the Senior Bowl, so the work doesn’t stop just because we’re here,” Campbell told the media. “So that actually helps me, frees up some time to be involved with all of it, from this to what they’re doing a little bit of, certainly going out to practice, meeting with other coaches. Certainly in practice what’s hard is not to jump in a little bit. It does help, like yesterday Brad (Holmes) and I spent most of the time on the field. He’s got more intimate knowledge on some of these guys than I do. Just to be able to watch, someone catches your eye and then he gives you kind of the intel. So it’s very beneficial for me. It helps.”
It’s obvious that Holmes and Campbell are going at the Senior Bowl with a tag-team like approach this year, which will benefit the Lions in a big way in terms of having a plan for the 2022 NFL draft.
Lions Got up Close View at Players During Senior Bowl
The Senior Bowl was great experience for the Lions because they were able to get a closer look at players, put them through drills and get a good feel for who was who. That process can only help as it relates to getting the team in a position to be able to find the right players to match their system. So far, Brad Holmes and company should have earned some major trust with regards to talent identification and their process. Last year’s draft class excelled on the field in 2021, and produced some great results for the team that have been seen nationwide after a year of monitoring.
Campbell and Holmes found the likes of Amon-Ra St. Brown, Penei Sewell, Derrick Barnes, Alim McNeill, Ifeatu Melifonwu and others in 2021 with this system in mind, so it’s clear that the team has a good idea what they are looking for already as it relates to building a roster capable of dominating.
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