If you were surprised when you saw the Lions draft Baylor long snapper Jimmy Landes on Saturday, you’re not alone. Landes was surprised too.
“I was very surprised,” Landes said, via MLive.com. “I was expecting free agency, just because I know how rare long snappers get drafted. I wasn’t expecting anything in the draft.”
If you enjoy a good, old-fashioned long snapper training camp competition, you’ll want to keep an eye on the Lions’ camp. Landes will compete for a roster spot with Don Muhlbach, the team’s longest-tenured player. Muhlbach re-signed with the Lions this offseason and got $80,000 of his $985,000 salary guaranteed, and Landes knows he’ll have to out-perform Muhlbach in camp to get the job.
“I’m getting ready to meet him and just compete,” Landes said. “That’s what I was expecting to do, just whatever team I went to I was expecting to compete, so that’s what I’m ready to come in and work hard.”
The Lions wouldn’t use a draft pick on Landes if they weren’t confident he could beat out Muhlbach. Landes was a surprise draft pick, but now it would be a surprise if he doesn’t make the roster.
