5 most underrated Detroit Lions players heading into the 2022 season

2. CB Amani Oruwariye

NFL fans outside of Detroit probably don’t realize Oruwariye finished third in the NFL with six interceptions last year. He emerged as a corner of the shutdown ilk, and the Lions’ pass defense would have been remarkably bad without him. Those same fans probably don’t realize he has started 29 games over the last two seasons.

Oruwariye is in line for a nice multi-year deal, and he has said he wants it to be from the Lions. He is getting some traction as someone who could make his first Pro Bowl this year, and Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport has called him the best-kept secret on the Lions’ roster.

"Okudah may have been the big investment for the team in terms of draft capital, but it’s fourth-year veteran Amani Oruwariye who has been the team’s best player at the position of late. For as well as Oruwariye played last year, he’s a relative unknown to many NFL fans. If he can put together another season anything like 2021, that’s going to change this year."

Oruwariye is a big (6-foot-2, 205 pounds), fast (4.47 40) corner with a nose for the ball (18 pass breakups over the last two seasons). In line with the Lions’ defense lined up to be naturally better this year, he may not stay underrated or unknown to the masses much longer.