What Lions Are Getting in CB Tyson Russell

What Russell brings after being signed prior to training camp.

Vanderbilt Commodores cornerback Tyson Russell (8). | Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

With NFL training camps set to begin, the Detroit Lions made their final few roster moves to make their 91-man roster ready for the start of practice.

One of the new additions signed to the roster was defensive back Tyson Russell, who went undrafted after playing collegiately at Vanderbilt. 

Russell has already shown his mettle to the Lions, with the Commodore trying out with Detroit following the NFL Draft.

He did not earn a contract then, but made enough of an impact to be participating in his first NFL training camp. 

Here is what to know about the newest player trying to make the 53-man roster.

Strengths

One of the biggest strengths of Russell is that he played some of the toughest competition, that being SEC football. He played over 20 snaps against Power 4 competition 14 times in his final two seasons, with half of those being starting assignments.

In 2023, one of the best games of his career occurred, with Russell recording a 69.5 coverage grade against, unsurprisingly, Brad Holmes’s 2025 draft “crush,” the Georgia Bulldogs. That mark was Russell’s second-best coverage game of 2023. He was only targeted once all game, and that pass fell incomplete.

His 2024 season also showed a marked improvement, with caught balls thrown his way dropping from 79.1% in 2023 to 59.3% the following year. While he allowed the same amount of touchdowns year-by-year, his allowed receiving yards total dropped by over 150 yards. 

His takeoff speed is a big strength, with his 10-yard split from his 40-yard dash being among the top in the 2025 draft class, with under five Power Four corners topping his 1.52 second split. It will be hard to beat Russell off the jump and leave him behind at the snap. 

A small plus in his favor is that the defensive back knows the NFL lifestyle, as his father, Twan, played in the NFL for multiple seasons. The younger Russell knows what to expect in the professional football world.

As is the case for most players competing, Russell will need to excel at special teams, and the corner had extensive action on the Commodores’ special teams units during all four of his seasons. He recorded over 270 snaps on those units between his final two years. 

Weaknesses

The biggest concern on Russell is his lack of senior year production. While his numbers did decline for completion percentage and yardage allowed, that is negated by nearly 130 less coverage snaps in 2024. 

He only started in two games as a senior, and saw over 40 snaps on field only three times. His playing time dropped as the Commodores recorded a winning season for the first time since 2013. This includes the DB only seeing three snaps in the Commodores’ shocking upset of Alabama, and only seven snaps in a loss to Tennessee, who made the College Football Playoffs. 

Additionally, his player passer rating allowed back up the belief that less snaps aided his better numbers, with Russell allowing a better opposing QB rating by four points in 2024 than 2023. As a reminder, this drop occurred as he was on the bench against Jalen Milroe and Nico Iamaleava, two of the best QBs the Commodores saw in 2024.

Another weakness is Russell’s size. At a reported 5-foot-9, from his Pro Day, the DB is unlikely to see outside corner reps. At Vanderbilt, he only played in the slot on 37 snaps over four seasons, something likely to change if he wants to succeed at the NFL level on defense.

This also leaves Russell behind for blitzing. With his 10-yard split, he could be a weapon rushing free, but the corner only had three pass rush snaps over his final two seasons. As an outside corner, that is unsurprising, but it's highly unlikely he remains there with his size and lack of top end speed.

His 10-yard split is remarkable, but his 40-yard dash speed is a concern, with his 4.57 ranking solidly in the “middle-to-below average” range for corners. His acceleration is great, but his top speed leaves some to be desired, which can even hurt gunning on special teams.

Overall, Russell’s signing comes with a lot of unknowns, besides his ability to contribute on special teams. On paper, he does not stand out for more than a special teams’ contributor, which is a role that players such as Dan Jackon, Ian Kennelley, and Rock Ya-Sin all look to make a case in. 

With four preseason games, look for Russell to make a mark on special teams, or see how the staff utilizes him on defense.