Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown. Lon Horwedel-USA TODAY Sports

Lions' Amon-Ra St. Brown still motivated by one reason

By Zac Wassink | Last updated 7/11/23

Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown hasn't forgotten that teams let him fall to the fourth round of the 2021 NFL Draft.

"I actually still think about it," St. Brown admitted during a Monday appearance on NFL Network, per Bobby Kownack of the league's website. "I actually have my goals written down in my notebook. What I want to achieve every year. So, what I want to achieve this year going into the season, my personal goals, and then right below that I have the 16 receivers written down, where they went to college right below that. And so, I read that whole list three times before I go to practice every day. It's something I'll never forget. Something I make sure I'm always reminded of."

St. Brown was referencing how he famously listed the 16 wide receivers drafted before him for an edition of the "Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Detroit Lions" program that aired last preseason.

(Video contains not-safe-for-work language)

Amon Ra St Brown remembers the school and selection of every receiver that was drafted ahead of him | #OnePride #Hardknocks pic.twitter.com/J2dgvRGLnZ
— Woodward Sports Network (@woodwardsports) August 17, 2022

St. Brown answered what he still perceives to be a draft snub by recording 90 receptions for 912 yards and five touchdowns in his rookie campaign. As shared by ESPN stats, the 23-year-old finished the 2022 regular season seventh among all players with 106 catches, ninth with 146 targets and 11th with 1,161 receiving yards. He also tallied six touchdown grabs en route to becoming a first-time Pro Bowl selection.

According to StatMuse and Kownack, St. Brown is tied with Minnesota Vikings superstar Justin Jefferson and Michael Thomas of the New Orleans Saints for the most catches through a player’s first two NFL seasons (196). While St. Brown understandably has personal goals in mind, OddsChecker listed the Lions as the betting favorites to win the NFC North title for the upcoming season as of Tuesday afternoon.

Detroit last played in a postseason contest in January 2017.

"I think (general manager) Brad (Holmes) and the guys here in Detroit did a great job of drafting," St. Brown added. "Obviously, they drafted me, found me in the fourth round, so they know how to find talent."

For what it's worth, teammates such as Lions cornerback Jerry Jacobs sound convinced the duo of St. Brown and quarterback Jared Goff could become an elite one-two punch beginning this fall.

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