Following the end of the NFL draft, the Detroit Lions went to work, signing a number of undrafted free agents, including a wide receiver who had a breakout season.
According to Benjamin Raven of MLive.com, the Lions have signed former Syracuse wide receiver Jackson Meeks, who was a key target for a high-powered offense. According to the article, Meeks made an impression during his final season at Syracuse and has a long history with the Lions.
Jackson Meeks Could Have Shot at Making Lions. Raven highlighted that Meeks had a low reputation before transferring to Syracuse for his final season, but enjoyed a breakout campaign last year.
“Jackson Meeks broke out after transferring from Georgia to Syracuse,” Raven stated in an email. “After only 132 yards across three seasons at Georgia, Meeks had 1,021 yards and seven touchdowns in Syracuse’s high-powered passing attack.”
Kyle Crabbs of The 33rd Team believes Meeks has the ability to develop into a WR4 or WR5 on an NFL club, saying that he possesses “a role-specific skill set that could be an asset to nearly any team with the right players around him.”
“Meeks is a physical player in all phases,” Crabbs noted. “He wins with physicality against press coverage and at the catch point.
“He is more of a space claimer than a space creator.”
Raven also revealed that Meeks is the nephew of former Lions edge rusher Za’Darius Smith, who joined the team at the trade deadline last season and recorded four sacks. After Meeks signed with the Lions, Smith texted him, “Congrats, nephew.”
Lions bring in more help at wide out.
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The Lions had already made significant investments in their wide receiver group prior to signing Meeks. On Day 2, the team moved up 32 positions in the NFL draft to choose wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa.
According to Lions general manager Brad Holmes, TeSlaa made a strong impact at the Senior Bowl and continued to impress as Detroit evaluators reviewed his game tape.
“Just saw how he was in the run game during team periods,” Holmes stated on the team’s official website. “Just his blocking and his size and he was just being a pest, and he was pissing off the DBs and defenders.”
Holmes stated that TeSlaa may play a variety of roles in Detroit.
“You see a guy that’s big, long, smooth strider, can accelerate, can run,” he told me. “He’s a hand-catcher. He plays on special teams and can block. He is capable of performing a variety of tasks.”
TeSlaa was also excited, telling reporters after the pick that he was eager to begin working.
“I’m just ready to get to the facility and put the work in,” she remarked. “I view myself as capable of playing both positions (slot and outside). Obviously, I have a huge size and the speed to play wide receiver, but I can also play slot and I believe I bring a lot of versatility.”
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