Watch: Lions first-rounder burns defender in practice
During two days of joint practices, the Detroit Lions dominated on day one while the New York New York Giants controlled day two. The player who stood out most was Lions' first-round draft pick Jahmyr Gibbs.
A former Alabama/Georgia Tech star, Gibbs showed off elite speed in a one-on-one passing drill against a linebacker. Gibbs — taken with the No. 12 overall pick — left the defender standing flat-footed as he whipped passed him to make an easy catch.
“He’s twitchy,” Lions linebacker Alex Anzalone said of the running back earlier this week, per MLive.com. “He’s fast. He’s got a dead leg to him that can get you and once he gets away from you and gets separation it’s tough to recover.”
During the two days of practice, several other rookies made significant impacts. Tight end Sam LaPorta continued to show why he was drafted high in the second round. Undrafted receiver Dylan Drummond is making a case for a spot on the 53-man roster. He has a good catch radius and the ability to make catches in traffic.
Undrafted free agent cornerback Starling Thomas V frustrated Giants receivers during joint practices. His physical play on the ball during team and individual drills was noticeable during the two days at Allen Park. Thomas is making a strong case to make the team.
2023 second-round draft pick Brian Branch was the best rookie on the Lions defense over the two days of practice.
Among the veterans, second-year defensive end Aidan Hutchinson was a menace to the Giants offensive line and quarterback Daniel Jones. Hutchinson registered non-contact sacks on both days of joint practice.
On Friday night at Ford Field in Detroit, the Giants will face the Lions in the first preseason game for both teams.
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