Getty Devon Witherspoon during a 2021 game against Penn State.
Last offseason, the Detroit Lions added one of the more intriguing players in the draft in Kerby Joseph.
Known for his major athleticism as well as his backflips, Joseph quickly proved during an elite rookie year that he is a serious football talent as well. Joseph posted four interceptions, 82 tackles, one fumble recovery and two forced fumbles as a rookie in the league. He also was the first man to intercept Aaron Rodgers three times in the same season.
This season, Joseph’s former teammate with the Illinois Fighting Illini in cornerback Devon Witherspoon is angling to join the league. Already, many have called Witherspoon a major prospect who could be on the rise.
Detroit, it just so happens, could have a lingering need for youth at cornerback and the sixth-overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft. They also offer Witherspoon the allure of a reunion with Joseph in the NFL, something he spoke highly of during his pro day in Champaign, Illinois.
As Dante Furco of Fox Illinois tweeted, Witherspoon had a glowing review of Joseph, and admitted that joining the Lions would be excellent given the relationship the duo already shares.
I asked Devon Witherspoon what it would be like to team back up with Kerby Joseph on the Lions @JKERB25 @DevonWitherspo1 #Illini #Lions #NFLDraft2023 @BretBielema
“That’d be fire to be able to be with my dawg. Our chemistry, it’s like we already know what we’re going to do out there on the field. He’s always behind me, I got everything in front of him. That would be dope though, to be on a team with my dawg for sure,” Witherspoon said.
In terms of Witherspoon’s performance at the pro day, Witherspoon was very impressive according to most accounts including ESPN’s Jordan Reid. While he didn’t do agility testing due to a hamstring issue, he was able to run a fast 40 yard dash in front of plenty of scouts.
Lots of positive reviews from scouts following #Illinois CB Devon Witherspoon’s pro day. 40 times ranged from 4.41-4.43 and he elected not to do agility testing (hamstring). 23 teams were present at the workout.
“Lots of positive reviews from scouts following Illinois CB Devon Witherspoon’s pro day. 40 times ranged from 4.41-4.43 and he elected not to do agility testing (hamstring). 23 teams were present at the workout,” Reid tweeted.
Early in the process, many mocks have placed Witherspoon in the top 10 of the draft, specifically to Detroit with the sixth-overall selection. Daniel Jeremiah has been writing about the connection since January. A recent mock update on March 21 from Jeremiah showed he still believes the team will pick Witherspoon in the spot.
“Witherspoon doesn’t have ideal size (5-foot-11 1/2, 181 pounds), but his game is very similar to that of Denzel Ward, who, like Witherspoon, played his college football in the Big Ten. Detroit has some difference-makers on the defensive front and has made some nice additions to the secondary this offseason, but Witherspoon’s instincts and ball skills would fit beautifully in the back end,” Jeremiah wrote in the piece.
If the move should happen, it seems as if Witherspoon as well as Joseph would be thrilled to see it play out in Detroit together. Reacting to news of an earlier mock sending Witherspoon to Detroit, Joseph simply posted a ninja emoji in approval.
Already, it seems the pair could be ready to go together if joined once again in the NFL.
Lions’ Dre Bly Surfaces at Illinois Pro Day
The Lions, amongst plenty of other teams, had strong representation at Witherspoon’s pro day on April 5 in order to get an even closer look at the prospect.
As Mark Pearson of WAND TV showed in a tweet, Bly was on hand to get a closer look at Witherspoon during the pro day, and throwing the football around on the field before things took place.
New @Lions cornerbacks coach Dre Bly is in attendance for Devon Witherspoon’s pro day.
Detroit has the 6th overall pick in the draft.
“New Lions cornerbacks coach Dre Bly is in attendance for Devon Witherspoon’s pro day. Detroit has the 6th overall pick in the draft,” Pearson tweeted.
Detroit sending Bly is very notable in this instance, because Bly was just tapped this offseason to serve as the team’s new cornerback coach. He would be the one responsible for developing a player like Witherspoon in Detroit. He also has plenty of NFL experience to rely on given his accomplishments at cornerback in the league.
Bly was a star with the St. Louis Rams from 1999-2002 prior to his time in the Motor City from 2003-2006. He posted 14 interceptions, three fumble recoveries and five forced fumbles with the Rams, and helped the team claim Super Bowl 34 in 2000.
In total, Bly would finish with 484 tackles, 43 interceptions and eight total defensive touchdowns to go with two Pro Bowl nods in his career. The Lions tapped him this offseason to help their backfield, and with these credentials, he might be able to help Witherspoon’s transition.
Devon Witherspoon’s College Stats & Highlights
Early on during the process, Witherspoon has become a favorite of many thanks to his toughness and tenacity, something that have been sighted as important traits the cornerback possesses.
To go with that, Witherspoon has some fantastic athleticism and production as well. In a four year career with the Illini, Witherspoon put up 157 tackles, 11.5 tackles for-loss, one sack and five interceptions. He also defended 25 passes and collected three fumble recoveries. That work led him to being named a 2022 consensus All-American.
Witherspoon seems to have the kind of toughness and grit that the Lions would crave at the position. As the highlights show, he isn’t afraid to get dirty and make tackles in the run game or against the pass, which the team could love.
He’s also got a major connection with a top young piece on the team in Joseph, which only serves to make this potential connection very intriguing to remember.