Detroit Lions Senior Bowl defensive lineman unveiled

As the Detroit Lions look to fortify their front seven, the defensive lineman the coaching staff will see at the Senior Bowl have been unveiled.

Two weeks from now, the Detroit Lions coaching staff will be overseeing the American team during the practice week at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama. Over the last several days, the offensive position groups for each roster have been unveiled.

On Tuesday, the focus moved to the defensive side of the ball with defensive lineman for each Senior Bowl roster announced. Here’s who the Lions’ coaching staff will have on the American team roster.

Amare Barno, DE, Virginia Tech
Zach Carter, DE, Florida
Micheal Clemons, DE, Texas A&M
Kingsley Enagbare, DE, South Carolina
Neil Farrell Jr., DT, LSU
Jermaine Johnson, DE, Florida State
DeAngelo Malone, DE, Western Kentucky
Phidarian Mathis, DT, Alabama
Josh Paschal, DE, Kentucky
John Ridgeway, DT, Arkansas
Cameron Thomas, DE, San Diego State
Devonte Watt, DT, Georgia

Senior Bowl to give Lions a look at much-needed defensive line/front seven help

The Lions defense looked better as the 2021 season went along, but there’s a need for help across the front seven.

Detroit had the league’s 28th-ranked run defense (135.1 yards allowed per game), and in some games they were simply dominated in the run game. They also had the third-lowest sack total in the league (30), with a matching sack rate (27th in the league) and the lowest quarterback knockdown rate in the league (5.3 percent).

Among the above group, Malone, Enagbare and Thomas stand out here as promising edge rusher prospects beyond a likely pick of Aidan Hutchinson or Kayvon Thibodeaux with the No. 2 overall pick for the Lions. Mathis and Watt look projectable to be a 3-tech defensive end, as the Lions look to add more talent (and get younger, where applicable and possible) across the front seven.

In any case, the value of the Lions coaching staff heading to the Senior Bowl continues to be shown by them being able to see some defensive line prospects closely throughout the week.