5 Things to Watch at Lions Rookie Minicamp
With rookie minicamp set for this week, a new season is on the horizon for the Detroit Lions.
The Lions will have their eight draft picks, along with a slew of undrafted free agents, at team headquarters for the week. It will help get the aforementioned individuals acclimated to the culture and schemes that are staples of a Dan Campbell-led team.
Here are five storylines to watch, as the Lions begin rookie minicamp.
Hutchinson’s first 'go-round'
The biggest storyline is the appearance of hometown product Aidan Hutchinson, who was drafted No. 2 overall by the Lions in the Draft. The Dearborn and University of Michigan product will suit up in Lions gear for the first time.
All eyes will likely be on his performance, though it will be very limited in terms of on-field action. Much of his experience will be learning defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn’s schemes in meeting rooms.
The on-field beginnings will come as the calendar nears fall, with organized team activities and training camp. However, this is an important week for Hutchinson and his fellow rookies, as they look to secure roster spots.
Hutchinson is all good in that department, however he projects to be an instant contributor and will need to hit the ground running.
First look at the draftees
Along with Hutchinson, seven other newly minted Lions will make their first appearances in Lions colors. This will be the fodder for plenty of discussion, as fans and media members alike will speculate as to what this rookie class can be in Detroit.
Each of the Lions’ Draft picks will debut their jersey numbers, which will be exciting for fans to see.
With Hutchinson and Jameson Williams as the top-two picks, Detroit has given its fans plenty to be optimistic about. Minicamp will serve as the first step of their careers, a stepping stone in the journey forward.
Rison, Pimpleton stay close vying for roster spots
Two small-school, in-state wide receivers will be heading to Allen Park looking for a chance at making the roster. Grand Valley State’s Hunter Rison and Central Michigan’s Kalil Pimpleton are both set to learn Detroit’s offense from coordinator Ben Johnson.
Pimpleton signed an undrafted free agent contract, while Rison received an invite to the minicamp. In both cases, this week is a big one.
Rison began his college career at Michigan State, where he played a year before transferring to Kansas State. He would later transfer to Fullerton College before landing at Grand Valley State.
Pimpleton, meanwhile, is a Muskegon native who began his collegiate career at Virginia Tech. After one season, he transferred to CMU where he became a jack-of-all-trades player. The speedster has experience as a returner in addition to his performance as a receiver.
What can Jameson Williams do?
Coming off an ACL injury, Jameson Williams likely won’t be an on-field participant for what Detroit has planned this week. However, he will still be present in the meeting rooms and playbook installs with Johnson.
Williams is a true burner, with speed to stretch the field. How he is used will be a key storyline to the success of Detroit’s offense once he is fully healthy. The Alabama product has said he wants to be ready by training camp.
Learning the playbook is the first step for any rookie. With Williams, as well as tight end James Mitchell who is also recovering from an ACL injury, success this week is about fully grasping the offensive concepts.
Darkhorse quarterback
Last season, the Lions did not bring a quarterback in for rookie minicamp. This left Tanner Engstrand, formerly an offensive quality control coach and now the tight ends coach, to serve as the signal-caller.
Now, Detroit has elected to bring in an undrafted free agent in this go-around. Western Illinois’ Connor Sampson is headed to Allen Park on a rookie minicamp invite. According to The Athletic, Sampson is a Belleville native who worked out at the Lions’ local pro day.
At Western Illinois, Sampson tossed 22 touchdowns and threw for 3,183 yards last season. With Jared Goff, Tim Boyle, David Blough and Steven Montez all already on the roster for the Lions, Sampson faces long odds when it comes to making the roster.
However, things could get interesting if he has a strong showing during what is a very big week for him.
