Notes: Lions have 2 players in PFF’s top-25 under 25

PFF’s Trevor Sikkema released his top-25 players under 25 and two Lions made the list

If you were to ask most Detroit Lions fans around the world, most would tell you that they were excited for the upcoming 2023 season. Like, really excited. Most would likely go on to tell you that this is the most optimistic they have been about the Lions in sometime—maybe ever, depending on how long you have been on the earth. And if you were to ask me, yes—I’m pretty juiced about how good the Lions could possibly be in 2023. However, to me, 2023 could just be the beginning for this team.

Lions’ general manager Brad Holmes and coach Dan Campbell have done an excellent job of overhauling this roster, and are really starting to see the fruits of their labor. Holmes and his staff have added youth and talent all over the roster, and in a few cases—budding superstars.

Right tackle Penei Sewell was Holmes’ first pick as Lions’ general manager, and the 22 year old is already among the best in the league at his position. PFF’s Trevor Sikkema, who ranked Sewell 13th in his top-25 players under 25 list, believes we may just be seeing the beginning of his potential.

“Sewell has played more than 2,000 snaps on Detroit’s offensive line over the past two seasons and looks like an All-Pro in the making,” Sikkema wrote. “He earned overall grades of 77.0 and 80.6 in those two campaigns. He also allowed fewer sacks (five to two) and fewer total pressures (35 to 28) from 2021 to 2022.”

On the same side of the ball, Amon-Ra St. Brown was picked a lot later than Sewell in the 2021 NFL draft, but he will be the first to tell you that doesn’t matter. Like Sewell, St. Brown earned his first Pro-Bowl selection in 2022, and checked in at 17th on Sikkema’s list.

Beyond those two, the Lions have young talent all over, including—Aidan Hutchinson (22), Kerby Joseph (22), Alim McNeill (23), Jameson Williams (22), Josh Paschal (23), Jahmyr Gibbs (21), and Jack Campbell (22). They still have to get out there and prove things on the field, but on paper—this is a very young and talented roster.

You can read the entirety of Sikkema’s list here.

And now, onto the rest of today’s notes:

• Aidan Hutchinson takes you on a tour of a typical offseason day.

• The NFL put together a video with all eight of the Lions’ 2023 draft picks—

• Brian Baldinger breaks down some Penei Sewell highlights from the Lions’ Week 18 win over the Green Bay Packers. Bookmarked for when I need some non-caffeine-induced energy during the offseason.

• ***Knocks on wood feverishly***

• Lions defensive end Charles Harris sat down with Lions’ reporter Dannie Rogers in the latest episode of Off the Record.

• The Lions have finalized the date and time for their preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

• Happy birthday to Lions’ All-Pro center Frank Ragnow. We hope you caught a giant fish on Lake St. Clair.