Lions Grades: Hendon Hooker Is Dynamic

Grading Lions' win in preseason finale.

Detroit Lions quarterback Hendon Hooker (2) / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Detroit Lions exhibited grit on Saturday, rallying to win their preseason finale against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Ford Field.

After falling behind 14-0 quickly, the Lions bounced back to control the second half and eventually win the game.

Here are grades for each position group based on performance in Saturday's game.

Quarterbacks: B-

Hendon Hooker was given the opportunity to start for the first time in his career, and his showcase continued into the fourth quarter. There was plenty of good and bad throughout his outing, which finished 12-of-20 for 114 yards with a touchdown, an interception and a lost fumble.

Hooker was sacked five times in the first 20 minutes of the game, which was a less than ideal start. At times, he was holding onto the ball too long. This has been a problem throughout training camp.

The most encouraging part about his performance was his ability to bounce back from mistakes. After the interception, he rebounded with the go-ahead touchdown drive. The Lions went right back to a similar concept to the pass he was picked off on, and he delivered with a strike.

Detroit Lions quarterback Hendon Hooker. / Lon Horwedel-USA TODAY Sports

Hooker's ability to scramble also brings an element that the Lions have not had in quite some time from a quarterback. He rushed 10 times for 93 yards, utilizing his legs to stay ahead of the chains and keep the offense on the move.

When Hooker's day was done, the Lions allowed Jake Fromm to take the final two series. The Georgia product was letting it rip, finishing 6-of-8 for 89 yards and putting a good product on film. Fromm likely doesn't have enough time to warrant considerations for making the roster, but could've earned himself a role elsewhere or with the Lions' practice squad.

Running backs: B+

The Lions elected to not play Craig Reynolds or Sione Vaki in Saturday's game, clearing the way for the likes of Zonovan Knight, Jermar Jefferson and Jake Funk to carry the load. All three players had their moment in a showcase designed to demonstrate that the team would benefit from carrying another player at the position.

Funk led the way with 40 yards on 10 carries and added a receiving touchdown. Jefferson, meanwhile, had two rushing scores and 29 yards on nine carries. It was an encouraging day all around for the Lions' running backs. Knight finished with 27 yards on 10 carries.

Wide receivers: C

The Lions' wide receiver room didn't get much clarity in terms of who could potentially be the fourth or fifth receiver. Donovan Peoples-Jones did not have a great day, as he did not record a catch on three targets and forced the team to take a timeout when he did not line up correctly.

Daurice Fountain, meanwhile, dropped his only target. Isaiah Williams had one catch and continued to be the top performer at his position in the preseason, with Maurice Alexander and Jalon Calhoun both contributing key catches late in the game.

The Lions face a major dilemma this coming week when constructing the roster. With wide receiver depth uncertain, it's unclear whether the Lions will elect to hold on to players already on their roster or try to find another solution at the position after cuts conclude.

Tight ends: B

Detroit's interesting roster decisions continue at the tight end position, as James Mitchell, Shane Zylstra, Parker Hesse and Sean McKeon were all able to log reps with Sam LaPorta and Brock Wright sidelined.

Zylstra had a strong showing with four catches and 29 yards. Mitchell did not record a reception on only one target, while McKeon had a catch late in the fourth quarter to help salt away the win.

Offensive line: D+

The Lions' second-team offensive line put them in a difficult position early in the game. On their first series, Hendon Hooker was sacked on three consecutive plays with the last being a strip-sack recovered by the defense.

While the unit would eventually recover, it was a very difficult showing for Detroit's group of backups against starting caliber talent. They were eventually able to get the run game going, and while there was pressure throughout the game, the unit did a good job of bouncing back,

Defensive line: B+

For all the pressure the Lions let up offensively, the unit was able to generate just as much throughout the game. James Houston and Isaac Ukwu each notched sacks, while Mitchell Agude had four tackles.

The Lions also were able to slow down Pittsburgh's run game, allowing an average of just 3.3 yards per carry. Cordarrelle Patterson, who had a 31-yard touchdown on the first drive, finished with just 31 yards on three total carries.

Linebackers: B+

Ty Summers signed with the Lions nearly two weeks ago and while that may not be enough time to make the team, he certainly has left a strong impression. Summers paced the Lions with a team-high eight tackles, including 1.5 sacks and two quarterback hits.

The TCU product is part of a linebacker room that has been strong throughout training camp, which will create some interesting decisions for Campbell and position coach Kelvin Sheppard.

While Summers got knocked off the ball on Patterson's first quarter scoring run, he rallied to have a strong afternoon and was a big part in the standout defensive effort in the second half/

Secondary: B-

The Lions elected to start Steven Gilmore and Essang Bassey in the preseason finale, which may be a signal for Detroit's confidence in Kindle Vildor and Khalil Dorsey. It was a struggle at points, starting when Bassey was beaten for a big gain by George Pickens on the first drive.

That first series ended when safety Brandon Joseph missed an open-field tackle on Patterson's touchdown. Steven Gilmore took a couple lumps as well, including a big gain to Dez Fitzpatrick for 59 yards.

At the safety position, Joseph did a nice job of blowing up a screen pass and finished with two tackles, while Loren Strickland had three tackles.

Special teams: D

The Lions have work to do in a number of areas on special teams heading into the regular season. The unit was penalized several times and kicker Jake Bates missed a chip-shot field goal.

Bates booted his first kickoff short of the landing zone, then his second out of bounds. Additionally, he missed a field goal attempt from 30 yards out. While he rebounded to knock down a 46-yarder, the UFL product didn't inspire confidence a week after going 4-for-4.

For Bates, there has been some lingering inconsistency that has showed up throughout training camp. While Detroit will likely stick with him into the regular season, he will need to find some consistency.

The Lions also had a big return negated by a penalty on Brandon Joseph.