Getty Derrick Barnes taking selfies with Lions fans in 2021.
This season, the Detroit Lions have gotten a great year out of their rookie class, and on the defensive side of the ball, the team has been very impressive in terms of young players.
Detroit’s group, led by the likes of Alim McNeill, Levi Onwuzurike and Derrick Barnes, has been very solid in terms of development. All have shown flashes, but many haven’t been consistent this year week to week. That’s something which Detroit coach Dan Campbell wants to see happening.
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Speaking this week on 97.1 The Ticket, Campbell talked about some of the rookie players on the defense and how they have been playing. As he said as recapped by Justin Rogers of the Detroit News, the players have been up and down and more consistency is needed.
On Barnes, Campbell said he’s correcting mistakes as they come, then experiencing something new to him that he has to fix. Campbell said he thought Barnes took a step back in this last game.
“In an interview on 97.1, Dan Campbell said Alim McNeill actually had one of his better games vs. Seattle, while Levi Onwuzurike was up-and-down, like he’s been all season, flashing one play, being out of position the next. Said the run defense issues were bigger than the d-line. On Barnes, Campbell said he’s correcting mistakes as they come, then experiencing something new to him that he has to fix. Campbell said he thought Barnes took a step back in this last game,” Rogers tweeted.
Finding a level for a rookie can be a major challenge, and Campbell clearly understands that his players needs to achieve this consistency if they wish to improve and take the next steps on the field.
Onwuzurike and McNeill Having Similar Seasons
Though they have been up and down at times, the duo of Onwuzurike and McNeill has been solid overall for the Detroit interior. This season, Onwuzurike has been solid with 34 total tackles, 1 sack and 2 tackles for-loss. The same has been the case for McNeill, with 35 tackless and 2 sacks. That seems like consistent performance, but it’s clear that Campbell wants to see a little bit more from both in addition to Barnes as well. Arguably, McNeill has been the most impressive of the group right off the bat, but Onwuzurike has flashed brilliance at times as well.
Obviously, the Lions have managed to develop a pair of players and that is the big news for the team as they set forth on trying to be more consistent in the future.
Barnes’ Stats & Highlights
What has been shown thus far on the field is just what the Lions seemed to think they were getting in Barnes when they selected him in the 2021 NFL draft. Based on his track record from college, a pretty productive player. Barnes has been a productive player in the Big Ten, racking up 226 tackles, 25 tackles for loss, 10.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and an interception in his college career. The numbers paint the picture of a tackling machine and a guy who can get after it in between the lines and make big plays for a defense sideline to sideline. The talent is clearly there.
Here’s a look at what the highlights show from college:
In due time, one could expect Barnes to play a bigger role for the team and the defense, and even though as he struggles, it’s clear the coach is going to continue push his players to be the best.