Notes: Levi Onwuzurike makes PFF’s preseason All-Rookie Team

An impressive preseason showing landed one Detroit Lions rookie on PFF’s All-Rookie Team, which seems like a good sign for the future of the team.

PFF’s Michael Renner created his own roster of rookies he believes are leading the pack, giving deference to players who ran with the first string and played more snaps. On that list is the Detroit Lions’ own Levi Onwuzurike.

Renner notes making this list is particularly impressive because Onwuzurike hasn’t stepped on a field since 2019 after opting out of his senior season.

“It’s often hard for a defensive tackle to make an immediate impact because of how physically demanding it is, but Onwuzurike did just that. The Washington product earned an 84.5 overall grade on 43 defensive snaps in two games,” he writes.

Onwuzurike missed the preseason opener due to a lingering back injury that caused Lions coaches to play it a little safe. But after seeing a back specialist, he put those worries to rest and had a strong preseason that hopefully indicates a bright future on the line.

For a Detroit team that has defensive woes out the wazoo, pardon my language, this is a promising sign.

And onto the rest of your notes.

• Cecil Sounders, a Lion back in the 1940s, has died at the age of 100. Referred to by the team as the “NFL’s oldest living Legend,” Mlive’s Benjamin Raven takes a look at his legacy.

• Our fearless leader Jeremy has already touched on this, but Lions Wire’s Zack Moran offers his thoughts on how the young age of most of the Lions’ new roster might play out. “It is quite risky to be rolling out a very inexperienced secondary due to face high-caliber players like Davante Adams and Allen Robinson consistently. Still, from the looks of the situation, it’s going to be a trial-by-fire situation.”

• Lions tight end T.J. Hockenson joined the Pat McAfee show for an entertaining interview:

• What was the biggest takeaway from the Lions preseason? Here’s what PFF’s Ben Linsey had to say.

• In light of the Lions (temporarily) having no kickers on the roster, Jack Fox has been getting inquiries on whether he can punt AND kick field goals. He answers that question:

• Since 2002, 26 teams have gone from worst to first. One CBS Sports writer says NFL history indicates at least one team will go from last place to first place from last season to this season. He ranked the bottom eight teams on their likelihood to go from worst to first.