Vanderbilt cornerback Tyson Russell (8). Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK

Lions Sign Rookie Cornerback After Tryout

Originally posted on Detroit Lions on SI
By Christian Booher | Last updated Jul 18, 2025 10:35 AM ET

The Detroit Lions have made an addition to their cornerback room.

On Friday, the Lions signed cornerback Tyson Russell. The move comes just one day prior to the veteran report date for the team.

Russell went undrafted in the 2025 NFL Draft out of Vanderbilt and was invited to participate in the Lions' rookie minicamp this spring. Though he did not initially make the team, he made enought of an impression to earn a spot on the roster heading into training camp.

In four seasons at Vanderbilt, Russell appeared in 44 games. He recorded 92 combined tackles, one interception, three tackles for loss and five passes defensed over the course of his career.

Last season, Russell earned a Pro Football Focus overall defensive grade of 57.5 and a coverage grade of 60.4. Opposing quarterbacks completed 16-of-27 passes in his direction and he allowed a quarterback rating of 118.4.

The Lions had two cornerbacks placed on injured lists amidst a flurry of roster moves on Thursday, as Khalil Dorsey was placed on the Physically Unable to Perform list and Stantley Thomas-Oliver was added to the Non-Football Injury list.

Among other players placed on injury lists included Taylor Decker on the Active/PUP list and Levi Onwuzurike on the Reserve/PUP list. Because Onwuzurike was placed on the Reserve/PUP list, he will miss the first four regular season games.

Detroit's defense added a trio of veterans to the secondary this offseason, including the addition of veteran D.J. Reed on a three-year, $48 million year contract. Avonte Maddox and Rock Ya-Sin also joined the organization on one-year deals.

This article first appeared on Detroit Lions on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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