Getty Alim McNeill celebrates a big play for the Lions in a 2021 game.
The Detroit Lions are attempting to finish the 2021 season strong, and aside from wins and losses, the best way they could do that would be to get development from young players.
If there’s been a late-season positive for the team, it’s been watching the way several players have responded to coaching and have emerged in Detroit. As a result, the team should be in good shape moving forward to find players that can help them on the field both now and later, which is a huge goal for a team like Detroit struggling amid a lost season.
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So which players should fans keep a closest watch on down the stretch? Here’s a look at some of the top names to remember.
Amon-Ra St. Brown, Wide Receiver
St. Brown has been one of the better young wideouts in the game over the past few weeks, and his emergence is coming at the right time for a Detroit offense that has needed an infusion of talent and big plays. All of Detroit’s wideouts are getting comfortable with the team, and St. Brown has been a leader in this department for Detroit. He’s been able to make some big plays as well as get into the end zone for the first time a few weeks back. Here’s a look at the play:
There’s good reason to think St. Brown can continue to press for snaps, so Lions fans will want to watch and see how good he can get down the stretch.
Alim McNeill, Defensive Tackle
McNeill collected his first career sack over the weekend in Week 14, and quietly has become one of the players who has shown up in a big way consistently this year. McNeill doesn’t play a sexy position on either the offense or the defense, but with his first sack out of the way, he could be expected to confidently find more down the stretch while continuing to play the same brand of stout run defense that he has been known for early on in his career.
First career sack for the rook, @AlimMcneill‼️
#DETvsDEN | 📺 FOX
Obviously, watching to see if McNeill can continue to show his chops as a pass rusher is huge for the Lions. He’s been a solid player overall, but a little more pocket pressure would go a long way toward cementing him as one of the rookies with the biggest amount of upside in the NFL.
Craig Reynolds, Running Back
Boosted by the untimely injury to D’Andre Swift, Reynolds managed to play a big role for the Lions in Week 14 with 83 yards rushing. With others around him like Godwin Igwebuike and Jermar Jefferson, it’s possible that Reynolds will find himself in a crowded place in terms of the backfield attention, but he’s been good in the limited snaps he has received so far as this hard running shows:
Reynolds may have caught the eye of the staff with his hard work, so it will be fun to see if he can run himself into a late-season role with the team.
AJ Parker, Defensive Back
This space may have been reserved for Jerry Jacobs, but in light of the rookie’s unfortunate ACL injury, another young defensive back is getting a look who has been solid. Lost in the rapid development of Jacobs was Parker’s similar development. Before injury and illness struck him, he had recently collected his first career interception in Cleveland:
The first career interception for @parkersisland‼️
#DETvsCLE | 📺 FOX
Without Jacobs, Parker will now have his own chance to shine throughout the final few games of the season. He’s been a sticky player and a ball hawk so chances are, he will be able to show out for fans. The best news? The Lions are likely to have a pair of impact makers in the secondary if Parker can keep developing.
Josh Woods, Linebacker
After being thrust into a starting role perhaps more than a bit unexpectedly, Woods has become a revelation for the Lions on defense. He’s been solid and managed to pile up 13 tackles last week. That is a strong total for the Lions, who want to see any semblance of hope at a position which has been very up and down most of this season in Detroit. Woods burst onto the scene and is going to continue to play so long as he plays well. Based on what he has done so far and his attitude, that might be a good bet for fans to make. If the Lions could find a young linebacker to be a part of the mix that would be huge for the future. Woods could be a key player for the team with this in min.
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Top Young Stars Lions Fans Should Watch Closest Down the Stretch