Making an NFL roster as an undrafted free agent is a tall task, don’t tell that to Lions cornerback Steven Gilmore.
In the continued tradition of simply finding gritty football players, general manager Brad Holmes may have another hit in the rookie from Marshall. Through the first week of training camp, Gilmore has impressed enough in camp that he is an early favorite to make the roster despite what his odds on paper say.
Coming out of Marshall, before making his way to Detroit, Gilmore didn’t catch any breaks throughout the draft process. Despite a productive season in the box score and according to PFF, he wouldn’t receive an invite to the NFL Scouting Combine which further put his NFL dreams behind the perennial eight ball.
That didn’t stop him though and while he enjoys success through the beginning of his first NFL training camp, it is important to understand what he does well to get him this far.
College Resume
Steven Gilmore earned a 3-star rating out of high school from 247 Sports. He received offers from Duke and Georgia before committing to Marshall ultimately where he would play five seasons for the Thundering Herd. He would earn a starting role as a Sophomore and would stay in that role for the reminder of his tenure for the team. He would break up 34 passes and record nine interceptions in four seasons as a starter while earning a PFF pass coverage grade of 71.5 since 2020.
Notable Stats and Accomplishments
- 2018 Conference USA All-Freshman Team
- 2020 First Team All-Conference USA team
- Earned an 88.6 Pass Coverage Grade Against Notre Dame in 2022
- 47.2 Passer Rating Allowed in 2022
- 2023 Hula Bowl Invitee
What He Does Well on Film
When you watch Steven Gilmore on film the first thing you see from him is the ability to play press coverage extremely well. It is almost as if he thrives on the contact that comes from playing the corner position, hard to imagine why he could make a great Detroit Lion. Beyond the press coverage though Gilmore has also shown an affinity to track the ball well leading to either pass breakups or interceptions, either one will work for Holmes and coach Dan Campbell.
Where Steven Gilmore Fits with the Lions
Steven Gilmore will likely be getting a lot of special teams work as well as some package-dependent assignments. The team is obviously looking to find some depth and reliable starters at the corner position and if Gilmore makes the roster then he would be adding to their depth for now. Could he earn a more prominent role to perhaps be a starter? Definitely, that’s the objective of the training camp. Gilmore would love nothing more than to prove to the 36 cornerbacks who were drafted that he belonged in that group. The Lions and this coaching staff have shown that if a player wants to do the work they will be rewarded, so far through camp Gilmore has shown he has no problem doing the work.
