It wasn't long ago that the Lions' roster was considered one of the worst in the NFL. Entering the 2022 season, their second under Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell, they didn't have a single representative on Pete Prisco's annual ranking of the top 100 players in the league. That put them in the company of doormats like the Giants, Jets and Jaguars.
They landed two players on the list entering last season -- Penei Sewell and Amon-Ra St. Brown -- but still none in the top 60.
This year? The Lions landed seven players in Prisco's top 100 , tied with the reigning Super Bowl champion Chiefs and trailing only the 49ers and Ravens, who led the way with nine. And five Lions cracked the top 60. This comes a season after Holmes was named NFL Executive of the Year and Campbell was named NFL Coach of the Year by their respective peers .
Sewell was the Lions' top-ranked player at No. 17, and the second-ranked offensive tackle to future Hall of Famer Trent Williams of the 49ers. He jumped up from No. 66 last season, with Prisco writing, "He is massive, athletic and can maul in the run game. He has it all."
St. Brown came in at No. 39, up from No. 83 last year, and No. 7 among wide receivers. He was tied for second in the NFL in catches last season, third in yards and tied for fourth in touchdowns on his way to being named first-team All-Pro. Light work.
At No. 47 was Aidan Hutchinson, who failed to crack the top 100 a year ago. Ranked seventh among defensive ends, Hutchinson "continued to show that he is a dominant pass rusher," wrote Prisco -- and he has another level to reach this year.
Center Frank Ragnow -- the Lions' lone top-100 player in year one of the Holmes-Campbell regime -- checked in at No. 56 after what Prisco called "his best season in the middle of their outstanding line," even while playing hurt for most of the year.
Sam LaPorta came in two spots later at No. 58, third among tight ends behind only Travis Kelce and George Kittle. After an epic rookie season, LaPorta "is just scratching the surface of what he can do as a receiver, which is scary for opposing defenses," wrote Prisco. He has plans to outdo himself in year two.
At No. 76, and No. 12 among quarterbacks, was Ja-red Goff . His numbers over the past two seasons place him among the best passers in the league, and he was paid like it this offseason. Goff, who hadn't been ranked in the top 100 since his penultimate season with the Rams, "has quieted a lot of critics with his play in Detroit," Prisco wrote.
(The QB's ahead of Goff, for the record: Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Joe Burrow, Lamar Jackson, Aaron Rodgers, C.J. Stroud, Justin Herbert, Dak Prescott, Jalen Hurts, Trevor Lawrence, Tua Tagovailoa.)
And at No. 89 was Alim McNeill. Ranked seventh among defensive tackles, McNeill is the next member of Detroit's loaded 2021 draft class in line for a big-money extension . "He had his breakout season" last year, Prisco wrote, and has bigger things in store this year.
The Lions also had a pair of rising players earn honorable mention: running back Jahmyr Gibbs and defensive back Brian Branch. Their 2023 draft class could soon rival 2021's.
No one else in the NFC North had even four players in the top 100. The Bears had three: cornreback Jaylon Johnson, defensive end Montez Sweat and receiver DJ Moore. As did the Vikings: receiver Justin Jefferson, offensive tackle Christian Darrisaw and tight end T.J. Hockenson. The Packers had two: cornerback Jaire Alexander and quarterback Jordan Love.
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