The undrafted Lions rookie that has everyone talking
Every year the Detroit Lions have a camp darling. A camp darling is a player that comes in as an undrafted rookie or is a guy that's bounced around practice squads. He's a guy that Lions fans get behind and believe should get a shot at making the 53 man roster. Most of the time, […]
Every year the Detroit Lions have a camp darling. A camp darling is a player that comes in as an undrafted rookie or is a guy that's bounced around practice squads. He's a guy that Lions fans get behind and believe should get a shot at making the 53 man roster.
Most of the time, they don't. They become a memory or the answer to a trivia question. Sometimes they do make it though. Lions corner Jerry Jacobs is a perfect example. Emmanuel Moseley is another. This year there's another darling that's threating to make the 53 man roster, only this guy has a chance to do a lot more once he does.
His name is Starling Thomas V. He's a cornerback out of the University of Alabama at Birmingham and he has everyone talking. Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn addressed some of the noise on Monday.
"So now Starling, he is physical, he can run, he’s highly competitive, he’s raw. Those same things I told you about (Lions CB) Jerry (Jacobs) when he was here, and our guys do a really good job of understanding those traits that we need as an undrafted free agent to be able to come and compete to be a part of this team. Now, he still has a ways to go, and we’re not locking him in on as a guy that’s going to make the team or whatnot, but again, to see if he can play, you have to let him play with the first team so please stop writing he’s with the first team. Please, alright. He’s getting his reps.”
You can understand what Glenn is saying here. Thomas does have a long way to go, but so did Jacobs. Of course when Jacobs came in, the Lions secondary wasn't built as well as it appears to be built right now.
The Lions went into the season with six corners. Right now you can count in Cameron Sutton, Jerry Jacobs, Emmanuel Moseley, Will Harris, C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Brian Branch. That's six right there. If the Lions plan to bring in seven, then you can definitely see a spot for Thomas.
Most Lions reporters, myself included, do have Thomas making the roster when it's all said and done. His reps with the first team on Monday really left a good impression. Really, he's left a good impression during the entire training camp.
He's the type of player that makes you wonder how he didn't get drafted. Like how did no team at least not spend a seventh round pick on him?
There's still a lot of camp to go and Thomas will have to show what he can do once the team gets on the field against another team next week when the Giants are in town for joint practices and the first preseason game of the year. If he performs well there, get ready for some real hype surrounding the rookie.
Which Lion could be this years camp darling?
Here’s three candidates
Featured image by Kirthmon F. Dozier / USA TODAY NETWORK
