The NFL Draft has come and gone, with the Detroit Lions making key additions at both starting and depth positions. By the end of Saturday, Detroit had drafted four players on offense (two WRs and two offensive guards) and three defenders (two D-linemen and a safety). Head coach Dan Campbell and general manager Brad Holmes made it abundantly clear before the draft that their goal was to add young talent to the receiving room, which they were able to accomplish.
Detroit's third-round pick, Isaac TeSlaa from Arkansas, is expected to be groomed into one of the franchise's next starting wide receivers. That said, the Lions' additions to the receiver room didn't end when the draft wrapped up. Following the draft, Detroit signed two undrafted free agent receivers, Jackson Meeks (Syracuse) and Jakobie Keeney-James (UMass).
While both players have a slim shot at making the roster, one has the chance for the coaches to quickly fall in love with his attitude.
Lions UDFA WR Jackson Meeks' Mentality Will Catch Detroit's Coaches' Attention Quickly
According to Dane Brugler of The Athletic's The Beast draft guide, Meeks's head coach at Syracuse, Fran Brown, said, " He's a dawg." Before becoming the head coach of Syracuse in 2024, Brown was an assistant at Georgia, which is where Meeks' original commitment was, so they spent lots of time together.
That mentality Meeks possesses is the exact same one the Lions standout Amon-Ra St. Brown has. St. Brown used his mentality to become one of the best receivers in the NFL after being drafted in the fourth round. Although Meeks' road to finding playing time will be much tougher, having the will to prove you've got what it takes is a great first step.
In 2024, Meeks recorded 77 receptions on 115 targets for 1,020 yards and seven touchdowns for the Orange. Moreover, he was second in the FBS in contested catches with 21, while lacking speed.
If Meeks ever sees the field, he's best suited as a big-bodied receiver down in the red zone. Nevertheless, his dawg mentality is exactly what Campbell and the rest of the Lions coaching staff love.