The foundation of the Detroit Lions' success in recent years has been built through the draft. General manager Brad Holmes and head coach Dan Campbell constantly profess to find players that "fit us", beyond the inherent talent for NFL-caliber draft prospects.
Campbell didn't last a decade as an NFL tight end because he was the most talented player or because he was incredibly productive (91 career receptions). He lasted that long because he embraced having to compete for a job and embrace a role every year. Coaches took notice of his grinder mentality, and he naturally seeks the same mentality in players he coaches now as part of a culture forged in competitive spirit and taking nothing for granted.
College football has changed a lot in a short timeframe. NIL has allowed a segment of players to become millionaires while still in school. With that in mind, they can enter the transfer portal in search of a better opportunity on the field or the best financial deal that might be out there.
Dan Campbell makes it clear how prospects will get crossed off the Lions' draft board
Campbell was recently on the Liucci Cast with Texas A&M writer Billy Liucci, who is also a former teammate of his at the school.
Liucci asked Campbell to explain how the transfer portal has impacted the way the Lions scout players. Three players were drafted in April who transferred during their college careers. Wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa transferred to Arkansas from a Division II school, guard Miles Frazier went from FIU to LSU, and wide receiver Dominic Lovett transferred from Missouri to Georgia.
Campbell said he understands transferring in some situations, like being at Alabama, LSU, etc., possibly having (as a hypothetical example) two future first-round picks ahead of you on the depth chart, and simply wanting a chance to start. Jameson Williams would be a great example of that, transferring from Ohio State to Alabama for his final college season before the Lions traded up to draft him in 2022.
Players who transfer in search of a better opportunity don't bother Campbell. But there's clearly a line, and Campbell explained the difference when speaking about how a player who transfers multiple times might think.
"This doesn't look like it's going my way. And I don't think I'm gonna start. I'm just leaving, and then you go to the next place, and it just looks like it may not be going where you want to Okay, well then I'm going to leave that school too, or I'm leaving this spring to go somewhere else. Well, we don't want those guys. I mean, you're looking at guys that transfer two or three times. Like, to me, you're scared of competition. So we just, I don't want to say with every one of them, but we just get them off the board. It's not worth it."
There's nuance to each player's situation in the NIL/transfer portal era, and Campbell acknowledged that. But in general, it's fair to say someone who transfers multiple times without greater context will be crossed off the Lions' draft board rather quickly.
