Getty Kerby Joseph on the field for the Lions vs. the Colts in 2022.
When rookie players come into the NFL, the learning curve can be steep. That’s true for new Detroit Lions including safety Kerby Joseph.
Entering the league, Joseph knew he was going to have to find a way to make some improvements to his game, and he wasted no time finding out what he wanted to improve and taking steps to do so.
Early on, Joseph realized that he had a hole in his game. Speaking to the media on Wednesday, August 23, the safety said that he knew quickly that he had to clean up his ability to tackle.
“That was one thing I needed to work on coming out of college, so I felt like every day, I’ve been taking a lot of emphasis on the tackling drills,” Joseph explained.
In terms of how he’s managed to do it, Joseph says it involves an ongoing internal dialogue with himself where he constantly makes sure to point out that he can and will improve.
“Every day I come out, I just I tell myself ‘this is something you told yourself that’s your weakness, and you want to make your weaknesses your strengths.’ I want to be the best player out there, so work on my tackling,” he said.
It feels safe to bet that Joseph is going to continue to improve, and if he does, his commitment to the little details will be a big reason why. Already, Joseph has set big goals for himself and continues to live up to them.
Joseph Happy to Gain Experience
Early on during camp and the preseason, the Lions have turned Joseph loose in a bigger way, which is the good news for his possible early development and 2022 role.
During Week 2 of the preseason, Joseph played a major role for the defense, and was able to see plenty of action on the field. Though his performance was up and down, that did not matter in the end. It was simply the experience which counted the most.
“I feel like I gained a lot of experience because like I said, experience is everything,” Joseph said. “I felt like I gained a lot of trust because like we said, it’s a safety driven defense so being back there, being able to communicate with everybody, everybody getting used to my voice is one big thing. I feel like you got to be able to trust a partner, a teammate that’s next to you.”
That trust will go a long way toward determining how often Joseph sees the field. Seeing it built now is good news for the Lions, and it will be something the team hopes to continue on with on the defensive side.
Joseph’s College Stats & Highlights
It’s not all just flash with Joseph, and in spite of his own perceived deficiencies, there’s a lot to like about where he is trending.
The safety has a lot of substance to his game as well, statistically and otherwise, which he showed in college. Quickly, Joseph produced some numbers which show him as a major ballhawk. That is a trait which figures to serve him well once he comes into the league. Joseph has 116 tackles, 5 interceptions, 6 passes defended and 1 forced fumble. Most of that production came in his senior year.
Here’s a look at some of his best plays with the Fighting Illini in college:
Joseph has showed the skills and athleticism to be a major difference maker. His quality traits on the field could help him become a player who sees the field fast for Detroit and makes a big impact when he does.
If the tackling manages to improve, that might only be more of the case when all is said and done.
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