3 former Detroit Lions draft picks who might be done in the NFL

2. RB Jason Huntley

After taking D’Andre Swift early in the second round, the Lions doubled-up on running backs in the 2020 draft with Huntley in the fifth round. A smaller back (5-foot-9, less than 200 pounds) who showed some passing game and all-purpose chops in college at New Mexico State, he didn’t make it through final roster cuts that year as the Lions moved to sign Adrian Peterson.

Huntley was then claimed off waivers by the Philadelphia Eagles, and he saw action in five games during the 2020 season (five carries for 19 yards). He was waived last year and added back on to the Eagles’ practice squad, where he spent most of the season before getting on the field in Week 18 (13 carries for 51 yards).

The Eagles’ top three running back spots are locked in, barring injury–Miles Sanders, Boston Scott and Kenneth Gainwell. Huntley and interesting undrafted rookie Kennedy Brooks are lined up to compete for the RB4 spot, and if a notable injury did come Jordan Howard is probably still on speed-dial.

Huntley should get solid run in preseason games, and it’ll be an opportunity to showcase himself for other teams if/when the Eagles let him go again.

If nothing else, Huntley is a set of fresh legs in search of a real chance to play somewhere as a backup running back with kick return usability. But as disposably as the league views running backs, he’s already running low on chances as a 24 year-old entering his third season.