Notes: Amon-Ra St. Brown says drafting a ‘big’ receiver would fit with his playing style

Should the Detroit Lions pick a wide receiver in the 2022 NFL Draft that’s just a week away? Current Lions receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown reveals what type of player would complement him best.

On “Getcha Popcorn Ready with T.O. & Hatch”, a Fubo sports show, the group discussed the upcoming draft, including what would happen if the Lions selected a receiver. St. Brown said if Detroit was to pick one, a bigger guy would fit his playing style.

“Someone that can go up, make the 50-50 ball, I mean I could for sure make it but someone else that can do it too,” he said.

For the record, St. Brown is 6-foot and 197 pounds, but a bigger guy might turn that 50-50 ball into an 80-20 and perhaps take some of the pressure off Amon-Ra. That’s all he really said on the matter but interesting food for thought.

In the interview, the receiver also talked about how the biggest adjustment he made between college football and the NFL was actually on the business side of things. He explained at the college level, you do everything with your teammates all the way to going to the cafeteria as a group. But when it comes to the pros, a player—one with his own family—can be gone in a flash.

“When I first pulled up to rookie minicamp, it was obviously all the rookies and some tryout guys. We finished that on Sunday and you see a dude packing his bags leaving—I’m like, ‘Damn, they already cut him?’ I was like, ‘Shoot. I’m looking around like when am I going to get cut?’”

But that’s what St. Brown says kept him motivated. As a fourth-round pick, he was already hungry from day 1. The hosts asked him what’s going to get him to that Cooper Kupp, Julio Jones-type level of receiver.

“Opportunity. You watch the first 10 games I had, you know I didn’t get the opportunities that I had the last seven weeks. I think a bunch of it is opportunity, but now that I showcased what I can do, I think it’s just going to help me out for my career,” St. Brown said.

During his rookie campaign, St. Brown caught 35 passes through those first 10 weeks, then jumped to 55 in just seven weeks. He was averaging 3.5 a game for that first stretch, then almost eight that final leg of the season.

The interview also touches on advice Amon-Ra took from his dad that sticks with him today, how he compares to Ja’Marr Chase, and more on his college days.

And onto the rest of your notes.

• “This year, for the first time, one team has dedicated a meeting to the psychological makeup of players, according to one prominent front-office person.” A very interesting piece from The Athletic’s Dan Pompei on how mental health is increasingly becoming a significant factor in NFL Draft evaluations. ($)

• Lions PR >>>>>>>>>. The team is nominated for the Pete Rozelle Award from the Pro Football Writers of America.

• In the first of an eight-part draft preview series, The Detroit Free Press’ Dave Birkett takes a position-by-position look at the top prospects and what the Lions need. This installment — quarterback. ($)

• Three years later, The Detroit News’ Justin Rogers grades the Lions’ 2019 draft picks. ($)

• And yet another draft preview, this one from Detroitlions.com’s Mike O’Hara on five offensive linemen that could interest Detroit.