5 Defensive Players Lions Can Build Around

Former NFL scout Daniel Kelly provides the names of five defensive players the Lions can build around moving forward

When I think of building a defense on a team in the NFL, it reminds me of when my kids were little playing with Legos. I sat there, and watched them with this big pile of Legos, as they vigorously tried fitting the pieces together to build something grand. 

The same has been, and will continue to be true for the Lions. Whoever ends up sitting in the GM chair will begin to impart their vision onto the team. 

Will the new head coach want to employ a 4-3 or a 3-4 defense? Will the defensive focus be more on man-to-man coverage or zone? Will it be a blitz-happy scheme or one that is more conservative in nature? 

These are just some of the questions that will answer themselves as the page flips forward on the 2021 calendar. 

Whatever decisions are made, the Lions do possibly have Romeo Okwara, John Penisini, Jeff Okudah, Austin Bryant and Amani Oruwariye. 

I say quite possibly, because Okwara is scheduled to become a free agent at season’s end. And whether or not he will be a priority free agent to the new regime remains to be seen. 

Meanwhile, Penisini and Okudah, who are rookies, will definitely be around, while guys like Bryant and Oruwariye are under contract until 2023 and are both low-salary players. 

Pass-rushers are a premium in the NFL. They are akin to guys who have a knack for hitting home runs in baseball.

And despite the fact that Okwara is inconsistent, he does rank No. 12 currently in the league in sacks with eight. 

Detroit or another team is going to have to break the bank to pay this dynamic pass-rusher who flashes All-Pro ability. 

If he indeed remains a member of the Lions, the defense will have five talented and rather interesting players to build around. 

In previous articles for SI All Lions this season, I gave these five the following grades: Okwara (B-), Penisini (C+), Okudah (A), Bryant (D) as a DE, but (B) as a stand up LB, and Oruwariye (B).

Penisini could easily scale into the "B-" range for a scouting grade, as the incremental improvements I saw out of him earlier in the regular season were astounding. 

Penisini warms up before Week 12 game against the Houston Texans.  / Kirthmon F. Dozier, Imagn Content Services, LLC

That would mean if the Lions' new regime sees what I saw on film, they would move Bryant to a stand-up pass-rusher position and commit to Okwara. 

Detroit would then have five young players -- all under the age of 25 -- it can win with and build around. That is a pretty good nucleus to build around from a grading and age perspective, especially considering three of these guys play along the defensive front and two of them are good corners. 

The thing I like the most, however, about these five defenders is that each has a dynamic element to them. 

Each has varying degrees of being a play-maker. 

My mentor, who is a scouting director in the league, taught me, “Danny, stick with the dynamic ones.” 

All five have that “something” special to them, and bring something different to the table. 

Okwara can provide that big-moment sack that is needed, like he did at the end of the Lions' Week 10 tilt with Washington. 

Penisini is a consistent fighter, and he is captain material. He is someone who leads by example. 

Okudah is extremely physically-gifted, and he excels in man coverage. He can do things nobody else on the roster can do. He can make that big interception, like he did in Week 3 against Arizona. 

Bryant is instinctual, and he has that big-moment knack to him, like when he flew in and blocked that punt in Week 9 against Minnesota. 

Oruwariye gives the team a good zone corner who exemplifies physicality and aggression. He is someone who has the length to challenge deep passes and someone who can fly in and blow up a running back on a screen pass. 

All five provide something to build upon, and all five have what it takes to be the very foundation of the "roar" being restored in Detroit.

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