One of the biggest questions on the Detroit Lions’ roster remains at the spot of wide receiver, and while training camp hasn’t yet provided a glimpse into what surprises could be waiting at the position, it could soon provide some clues.
During one of the first days of training camp practice on July 31, Quintez Cephus proved once again why he is a player to watch this coming season. Cephus has been seen as a key part of the receiving group and a true wild card, and it is becoming clear the freakish talent he has lurking below the surface.
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As Mlive.com photographer Mike Mulholland captured, Cephus showed some incredible hops on the practice field while doing a drill. He skied for a one-handed catch that made for a pretty amazing photo.
Not only did the photo look cool, but it showed the potential Cephus has for the Lions this season. If Cephus can turn in plays like this on the regular, he could be just the type of wideout that Jared Goff needs to take the next step and announce his presence with the Lions.
Quintez Cephus Called Star of Minicamp Practices
Detroit didn’t add a ton at wideout this offseason and as a result, are depending on others on the roster like Cephus stepping up. It’s more than possible this was by design considering what Cephus has already shown earlier this offseason. The Lions have a young player in Cephus who could be expected to take the next step toward becoming elite
A few months back during the team’s minicamp practices back on June 8, the wideout was cited as a player who is having a very strong performance after a good day of work during the sessions in June, according to Justin Rogers of the Detroit News.
Last week, after OTAs, I noted how much Victor Boldin was standing out. He still had a good practice, but man, Quintez Cephus was the guy that kept catching my eye all day today. Really strong practice for the second-year receiver.
Cephus being able to have a strong start to camp and to the season would be notable, because he is one of the players the Lions are depending on stepping up in a huge way. If Cephus could assert himself in such a way, the wideout group would be deeper and all the better for it during the 2021 season.
So far, this is good news for the Lions to see a young player step up at such a key position. The team hopes it continues well into the future and the rest of the offseason before training camp begins. The hope is he can turn big catches and practice performances into a regular occurrence.
Cephus Career Stats and Highlights
In college, Cephus put up a solid 1,496 yards and 9 touchdowns in a run-heavy Wisconsin Badgers offense. He’s a player that has some potential which is obvious given the numbers he put up and his work ethic and body type. So far in the NFL, Cephus has put up 349 yards and 2 touchdowns on 20 career receptions without much run at all. He was a healthy scratch at times last season, but it’s clear those days could be over.
Cephus didn’t have a fast run at the NFL Combine running in the 4.7’s, but improved things during his early pro day with Wisconsin. More than the speed, it’s the ability of Cephus to run good routes and make solid catches which impresses. As a result of that, he could be a solid pro who sticks in the league in time if he is able to take care of his business.
Here’s a look at some top Cephus highlights from his rookie year in the league:
Learning to be a pro is a big part of the craft, so it’s good to see Cephus stepping up and leading by example and carrying over his work to the field. That will help him as he tries to become a big piece of the puzzle for the Lions in 2021.
Making impressive catches like he did in practice could help matters as well.
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Lions Wideout Makes Insane Catch During Camp Practice [LOOK]