Monday was the first day in full pads at Detroit Lions training camp. Adding pads to the mix helped one key Lions rookie stand out in a crowded positional battle.
Sixth-round linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez earned some praise from his head coach, Dan Campbell, for his play on Monday.
“He showed up yesterday,” the coach stated, a big compliment in the world of Dan Campbell.
“His key and diagnose right now for a young guy is pretty good,” Campbell enthused before Tuesday’s practice. “As you see the competition in that room and you just watch — here he is, let’s just give him a rep. (Lions LB coach Kelvin Sheppard) has done a good job with that. Now there’s already a conversation about ‘let’s push him up to the next group a little bit and give him some more reps.”
Campbell also noted,
“We’re going to give those guys in that (LB) room a fair chance to compete and let the two or three best come out of there.”
Rodriguez has primarily been part of the third pairing at off-ball LB. Alex Anzalone and Chris Board have consistently been the top duo, with a mix of Derrick Barnes, Shaun Dion Hamilton, Jarrad Davis and Anthony Pittman joining Rodriguez in the mix behind them. Based on Campbell’s words Tuesday, it seems that Rodriguez is elevating himself in that grouping.
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