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Six Detroit Lions players the national media are sleeping on

By Ash Thompson

DETROIT, MI - SEPTEMBER 10: Kenny Golladay #19 of the Detroit Lions catches a fourth quarter touchdown next to Justin Bethel #28 of the Arizona Cardinals at Ford Field on September 10, 2017 in Detroit, Michigan. Detroit won the game 35-23. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
DETROIT, MI - SEPTEMBER 10: Kenny Golladay #19 of the Detroit Lions catches a fourth quarter touchdown next to Justin Bethel #28 of the Arizona Cardinals at Ford Field on September 10, 2017 in Detroit, Michigan. Detroit won the game 35-23. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /
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BALTIMORE, MD – DECEMBER 3: Tight End Maxx Williams #87 of the Baltimore Ravens runs with the ball as he is tackled by defensive tackle A’Shawn Robinson #91 of the Detroit Lions at M&T Bank Stadium on December 3, 2017 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MD – DECEMBER 3: Tight End Maxx Williams #87 of the Baltimore Ravens runs with the ball as he is tackled by defensive tackle A’Shawn Robinson #91 of the Detroit Lions at M&T Bank Stadium on December 3, 2017 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /

The space-eater

A’Shawn Robinson has been playing against his type. At Alabama, he was one of college football’s premier defensive linemen. He had a spectacular ability to move offensive linemen into their own backfields against their will.

So what do you do when a stout run stuffer like Robinson falls into your lap? If you’re Teryl Austin, you put him in a one-gap role trying to get upfield around offensive linemen. Rather than utilizing a player’s God-given talents, you try to fundamentally alter who and what he is.

If I were to point to a flaw in the former coaching staff’s decision-making process, it would be that they did this with players. Rather than work with the players they had, they forced those players into the roles of a scheme. Robinson did not fit his role.

The new defensive scheme will ask Robinson to return to his roots. He will have the opportunity to do something he is actually good at. He will have the opportunity to step back into the national spotlight he enjoyed in college.

The national media have forgotten Robinson. In 2018 he has the opportunity to make them remember. Malcolm Brown and Vince Wilfork have played this role before and found the media spotlight doing so.

Prior to the 2016 draft, there were many reports that teams regarded Robinson as the second coming of Wilfork. The Patriots legend would have had no greater success than Robinson has given the wrong role. He was a vital cog in many successful Patriots defenses. Robinson should have a very good season in 2018.

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