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The Detroit Lions have only been on the field for less than a week for training camp practice, but already, some players are catching the eye of the coaching staff in a big way.
Most everyone knows the team’s offensive line is going to be a significant strength in 2021, and many people believe the team will be set thanks to some of the veteran studs they have in the mix like Taylor Decker and Frank Ragnow. Few are calling out other names like Jonah Jackson, but the young lineman has a big fan in head coach Dan Campbell.
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During his August 2 press conference, Campbell talked unfiltered about Jackson, 24, and what he’s meant to the team already. As Campbell said, Jackson has been hard at work all offseason, which is a good way to get things started.
“Jonah’s one of a handful of guy’s who’s been here since basically I got this job, been in this building, working like everyday,” Campbell told reporters. “I’ve seen him since February. … I already know what he’s all about and I know the work he’s put in and I know what his body is able to put out because we’ve had our eyes on him and he’s a workaholic, he’s hungry, he’s smart, and I tell you what, this kid’s a leader now. … He’s cut from the right cloth.”
This season, Jackson figures to have a role locked down at guard, and Campbell’s kind words about work ethic only prove how important the lineman could be for the team moving forward. As positives go, this is a a major one for the Lions.
Jackson Had Solid Rookie Debut in 2020
While he may not have been an All-Pro, Pro Bowler or earned any type of accolades for his play, that doesn’t change the fact that Jackson has been a strong player for the Lions since he joined the team last season. Perhaps most significantly, Jackson started 16 games as a rookie and was a load up front for the Lions considering his ability to play solid football. It’s not often that the Lions have a young lineman capable of playing a starting role right off the bat while not looking out of place in the league, but that’s just what Jackson brought to the mix for the team as a rookie in 2020.
While he was a first-year man out of Ohio State, Jackson showed the kind of toughness and grit that could make him a fixture in the NFL. Obviously, that is something his coach seems to believe in given what he has shown to the team already during his brief career.
Jackson Looks Like Huge Piece for Lions’ Line
The Lions are hoping for a big season out of their offensive line in 2021, and Jackson could play a major role in it, according to his very impressed new coach.
“We’re looking for a big year out of him,” Campbell said of Jackson. “I think the hard thing with Jonah is sometimes even I forget, listen, he’s only going into his second year … he’s still growing, too. … But yet we have high expectations for him.”
The youngster came into the mix quite unheralded even though he was a former third-round pick in the 2020 class, but for him to start off so strong only shows the type of gem the Lions may have found. It’s been arguably since Larry Warford that the Lions have had a middle-round pick come in and exceed expectations up front. With Decker, Penei Sewell, Ragnow and Jackson, the Lions could have the makings of a special nucleus moving forward that will help transform their line from laughing stock to elite.
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