We know Levi was a guy they liked and even discussed trading up for him. I just want to know who the other two guys they targeted were.
Levi had a very inconsistent rookie year. We need a lot more out of him next year. Big offseason for him coming up.
I remember that story.
Would love to know who else they were looking at.
When you look at Aman-Ra, he is the most Robert Woods/Cooper Kupp like guy in the draft.
Levi is the most Aaron Donald like guy in the draft. Super quick reflexes and get off. I still think Levi has the chance to be an elite DL hybrid player. Obviously taking a year off and being injured the first half of the season left him woefully under muscled to compete against stout OL.
If he commits in the off-season, we will see a different guy next year.
I dont know who the player was that they originally had settled on taking, but I wish they would have taken that player over Levi. Trust your gut. Yuck on Levi. He looked lost the entire season. I never saw him belong on the field personally. I like Alim though. Battled all year, looked overmatched at times, looked like a promising young player during other times. Typical rookie year for a 3rd round pick with potential. But Levi? Ouch.
Like Barnes I want to see what he looks like after a full offseason.
Maybe they should have taken that other guy. But you’re writing him off WAAAAY too early given injury, rust, and the fact that lots of rookies recover from meh-or-worse 1st year campaigns. As of now, there’s clearly a place for Levi on this team if his mind is right and he puts in the work to get his body right. If he thought he could waltz in and dominate, he’s been disabused of that notion. And if he thought his lofty draft status would protect him regardless of performance, DC’s personnel moves doubtless disabused him of that notion.
Let’s just hope he can stay healthy and have a productive offseason. If so, next year will be more telling.
You gotta be careful judging rookie DT’s after their 1st season though. Robert Porcher’s rookie season he had 1 sack. Luther Ellis had 0. Both are Lions legends.
If you look for the original conversation when it happened here 8 months ago, I think it was pretty well fleshed out then. I can’t remember the answer, but I think it was narrowed down pretty well. I want to say the other player was the DT taken right before Levi and JOK himself.
I’m not referring to his stats, nor am I projecting his career arch. I’m simply saying the eye test this year was not kind to him. Personally I’d like to see him flash more, that way even if he’s inconsistent you can hope he can level the valleys and become a solid contributor.
Other than that - it’s easy to cherry pick my man. Look don’t judge David Blough, after all Tom Brady had zero touchdown passes his rookie year. So dont judge Blough, he might be the next Tom Brady! Cherry picking random examples is homer central my man.
This made me laugh so hard I thought I would pee my pants. Talk about pissing in the wind.
I see what your saying. But, DT has always been a position where it usually takes some time to adapt to the NFL. Levi made a couple plays this year, had a nice sack, blocked a field goal. But, you’re right for the amount he played, he didn’t flash often. I’m not giving up on him after one season is my main point. He’s gotta get his butt in the weight room this offseason.
“Todd Wash, Lions defensive line coach, said Levi Onwuzurike has been flashing, but needs far more consistency. The team wants him to work on lower-body strength this offseason. Wash said he knows people are down on Levi right now, but the team is not.”
you’re looking for a rookie to flash against NFL O-Lineman that sat out last year. I feel like you are being wayyyyyyyyyy too quick to judge.
Did you at least understand my point, even if you don’t agree with it? I’ve watched Donald for years. He is undersized, crazy strong, and his reflexes are faster than everyone else on the field.
When you watch an overhead view of the OL vs DL, the center will move their arms to pull the ball back and before anyone else on either line moves, Donald is already starting to rise up. By the time the ball is to the QB, Donald already has taken a first step and planted before any lineman has dropped their first step. He is so quick off the line, that he has a chance to make a move or dip inside/outside before a lineman can set themselves.
Levi has this same ability. Watch a close-up of the ball snapping and see if Levi is the first one that moves across the line of scrimmage. @Phunnypharm @stephenboyd57 who are really good at getting all 22 type screenshots.
The difference is that Levi is not strong nor experienced like Donald. Especially with taking a season off and injury.