Lions' Midseason Rookie Report Card
With the Detroit Lions now halfway through the 2020 season, there is a decent amount of film on their first-year players.
Needless to say, it’s still very difficult to gauge how these rookies will develop over their careers.
To this point, here are the grades for each player selected by general manager Bob Quinn from this year's NFL Draft.
Note: Only the players who have seen snaps this season will be graded. That leaves guard Logan Stenberg, running back Jason Huntley and defensive lineman Jashon Cornell from this year’s class without grades.
1.) Cornerback Jeff Okudah
First and foremost, Okudah was put in a horrible situation.
No pass rush in a heavy man-coverage scheme is about as bad as it gets for a rookie learning the ropes.
Even former All-Pro corner Darius Slay allowed the 15th-most yards in the NFL last season under the Matt Patricia-led defense.
Okudah is currently allowing the 10th-most receiving yards.
In saying that, Okudah has had plenty of rookie struggles, and it’s fair to want more from a No. 3 overall draft pick.
However, he continues to improve and at least show some promise of why he was drafted so high.
Grade: C-
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2.) Running back D'Andre Swift
For the most part, Swift has been as advertised.
He is by far the shiftiest and most explosive of the Lions' backs. However, that might not be saying much, with a 35-year-old back in Adrian Peterson and the long strides of Kerryon Johnson.
What is most concerning is his proneness for dropping passes that he has apparently developed since joining the Lions.
He already has three dropped passes this season, after only having three his entire college career at Georgia.
Fortunately, when linebackers are asked to cover Swift, it’s usually a battle they lose. Swift is a mismatch in the passing game.
In terms of rushing the football, you can see the vision and the ability to burst through the hole.
Not that Swift has ever been known as a bruiser. But, of the 61 qualified NFL running backs, he is sixth from the bottom in average yards after contact, per Pro Football Focus.
With most players, there are always pros and cons, and the positives of Swift are hard to ignore.
Grade: C+
3.) Defensive end Julian Okwara
To be fair to the younger Okwara, a small sample size and a right leg injury have largely derailed his rookie season to date.
In total, he has only seen 30 defensive snaps -- 23 of them coming against the pass. He racked up four pressures on those plays.
Not too bad for a rookie, and his return from injury could really help the Lions get to the quarterback.
It’s unknown at this point where he is in his recovery. But, even before his injury, he was making minimal impact in the grand scheme of things.
Maybe that could change with more playing time.
Grade: C
4.) Guard Jonah Jackson
Jackson got off to a hot start but has cooled down a little bit.
Still, for a third-round pick, Jackson has been exceeding expectations.
He has come into a starting role immediately, and has outperformed veterans on the roster.
For rookie interior linemen who have played in at least 20 percent of snaps, Jackson's PFF grade ranks third-highest -- even better than some more high-profile draft prospects, like first-rounder Cesar Ruiz, second-rounder Ezra Cleveland and fellow third-rounder Lloyd Cushenberry III.
Now with left tackle Taylor Decker locked up for the long term and Jackson sliding over to the left guard spot, the Ohio State tandem appears to have Detroit set up nicely on that side of the line.
Grade: B+
5.) Wide receiver Quintez Cephus
Cephus came out in Week 1, and surprisingly led the Lions in targets with nine.
Since then, he has only seen five balls go his way, catching all five, mind you.
However, after Week 4, Cephus started becoming a weekly inactive.
It took another Kenny Golladay injury for Cephus to see the field again this past week against the Minnesota Vikings.
Cephus has still yet to make a highlight grab or do anything that really stands out. But, he does seem like he could be a reliable reserve option down the line. Who knows, maybe even a starter next season.
Grade: C-
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6.) Defensive tackle John Penisini
For a sixth-round selection, Penisini has received quite a bit of playing time, especially in the last three weeks.
Any time a late draft pick can contribute at all during his first year, that should be considered a win.
Penisini has never been labeled a pass-rusher, and the Lions don’t necessarily rely on him to do so.
He doesn’t have a single pressure on 79 pass-rush attempts.
Ideally, Penisini will be in the game on obvious or likely running downs.
It’s his run-stuffing capability and the ability to hold his ground that have been semi-impressive.
Not that a run-defense-only defensive tackle is overly important in today’s NFL, but there is still definitely a role for Penisini and he fills it nicely.
Grade: B+
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