3. Defensive lineman Alim McNeill
Campbell said when the coaches sat down this offseason and looked at McNeill’s reps before the ACL he suffered at the end of the 2024 season and the reps from when he returned in the middle of last season, they could tell he was favoring that leg and didn’t have the same explosiveness. Now more than a year removed from the injury, McNeill has looked more like his old self to start camp.
His combination of power and speed has been a lot to handle early on for interior offensive linemen, and they haven’t even put the pads on yet. McNeill and second-year defensive lineman Tyleik Williams have looked solid in the middle of Detroit’s defense to start camp. That duo will be critical for Detroit’s success in stopping both the run and pass this season.
The Lions missed LaPorta down the stretch last season when he missed the final eight weeks of the season due to a back injury that required surgery. Now back and full go to start camp, he has picked up right where he left off before the injury.
He’s such a mismatch piece for this offense with his size/speed combination. LaPorta’s presence opens more lanes for everyone else to operate because he’s a player defenses have to adjust their coverage for – he can’t be covered one-on-one by a linebacker. To start camp, LaPorta has made several good plays. It’s good to see 87 back to being a big part of this offense again.