The Lions are looking for big jumps from a number of young players during the 2022 season and defensive tackle Alim McNeill is on that list.
McNeill was a third-round pick last season and he appeared in every game at nose tackle for the NFC North team. McNeill had 39 tackles and two sacks, but there are a couple of reasons why the team thinks bigger things are ahead.
The offseason saw McNeill work with a nutritionist as part of “becoming more of a professional” and he said he felt more explosive at OTAs this spring. Lions defensive line coach Todd Wash said the team is planning to use that explosiveness in a different way than last year by lining McNeill up in different ways that they hope lead to more pressure on the quarterback.
“Obviously, he can do a lot of different things. But this is really going to get him one-on-one with some centers, you’re going to be able to see more athleticism,” Wash said, via Nolan Bianchi of the Detroit News. “He has really good play strength. We’ve seen that. He doesn’t get knocked off the ball. We want to see him continue to develop as a pass rusher. When some turns and protections, where he gets one-on-one, this scheme allows him to be on an edge and show his athleticism. So I think the pass rush is really what we’re going to see out of Mac.”
The Lions also have 2021 second-rounder Levi Onwuzurike on the interior to go with three rookie defensive ends, including second overall pick Aidan Hutchinson, on a line that they hope will become a strength of the defense this season.
