Takeaways from Dan Campbell's Combine Media Session

Here are the main takeaways from Dan Campbell's 2023 combine media session.

INDIANAPOLIS — The second day of GM and head coach podium press conferences at the 2023 scouting combine wrapped up Wednesday with Detroit Lions GM Brad Holmes and head coach Dan Campbell.

Here are five main takeaways from what Dan Campbell said to the media in attendance.  

1.) The “it” factor

Campbell clearly is very big on intangibles, and he explained how he goes about identifying when he’s interviewing draft prospects.

"It's hard to put into words. I would say this: I don't know how many guys we've met with at this point over these two to three days. Let's call it 30 guys, 35 guys, and I've check-marked four guys. And to me, they got the ‘it’ factor. Just when you sit in there and you hear them talk about football, it's there. There's a fire burning and, oh man, they can't sit in their seat. They got to get up to talk. They got to tell you what's going on. This is how I think. And you can't fake that. When you have that, you love ball and you'll eat and breathe it and do anything for it, do anything for your teammates, you’re uber-competitive. And those guys are rare. You can find those guys and they've got some ability, which most guys here do, it's hard not to like them."

2.) Taking care of Swift

The Lions have a very talented running back in D’Andre Swift, but the issue has been getting the most out of him.

Swift missed three games last season because of injuries and was limited in some others.

Campbell said there was an emphasis on trying to keep Swift healthy last year, just like there will be in 2023.

"I know this: He is a very talented player. He's a very talented player, and he's one of those guys that can take it to the house anywhere on the field. And he works. He wants to get it. He works hard in the classroom. And we thought we had a recipe going into the year and it didn't work out. He got a little bit banged up and then by the end of the year he started to feel better and his production went up. So, listen, we're gonna start all over from scratch again, man. Let's find another way to see if we can help him stay on the field. I already know he's doing that for himself. So we've got to do that on our end. What can we do better by him? Can we? Because he's too talented. He's too talented to not have out there. He's an explosive athlete.”

Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell / © Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

3.) The changing combine

It was in 1999 that Dan Campbell attended his first combine, and things sure have changed since he came to Indianapolis as a tight end prospect from Texas A&M.

Campbell chose his words carefully when talking about how big the event has become before talking about what the combine means to him as a head coach.

"To me, it's more at this point just to be able to sit with these guys,” Campbell said. “Obviously they get the medical during the week, but for us to be able to do these formal interviews or informal is to me the biggest part of all this. It's not even the working out portion. To me, you grade them off the tape, you don't grade off somebody out here in pajamas running around in the 40 with no defender around — or offender. But the meetings are great. The meetings are really pivotal. All the other stuff, whatever, just tell me when to show up, we'll get it done."

4.) The endless debate

When it comes to the draft, the question often is asked of coaches and GM whether the focus should be on filling needs or simply taking the best players.

"I wish that was easy to just answer outright,” Campbell said. “I would say we're not afraid to acquire talent, even if we feel like we have a couple of people already in that position. There is such a thing as talent that's hard to pass up, even though we may have a surplus of those players. But we understand we have needs, no different than anybody else does. But I would say Brad and myself we're looking for guys who can upgrade us, no matter what they are. And if they can play, we'll find a way to play them. We'll put all of them out there, some way, form or fashion."

5.) Coaching changes 

The Lions coaching staff has undergone some changes since the end of last season, and Campbell addressed the departures of RB coach Duce Staley, senior offensive assistant John Morton and defensive line coach Todd Wash.

Staley and Wash took positions on Frank Reich’s new staff with the Carolina Panthers; Wash joined Sean Payton’s staff with the Denver Broncos.

"We'll miss Duce. We're gonna miss Duce Staley. We're gonna miss Todd Wash. We're going to miss John Morton. But all three of those guys, it was for family. I know that's the right thing to do, and we'll miss them but we did feel like this is an opportunity to get better, as well and that's what you're going to try to do."

Campbell also addressed the addition of Dre Bly as cornerbacks coach and what he could bring to the staff.

"The vision of that was, he's gonna work with these corners. And his deal was technique, man. He's been coaching at North Carolina for last couple of years, but he did it a high level and he did it because he was able to play with technique. And so he'll bring a certain type of attitude, fundamentals that AG (DC Aaron Glenn) is looking for."