A team doesn't win a division title and have 11 wins heading into Week 18 without a roster filled with some Pro Bowl talent.
The NFL released the Pro Bowl selections Wednesday night, and the Lions have five players on the NFC roster and seven others who are alternates. It's a credit to how general manager Brad Holmes and head coach Dan Campbell have drafted and built the roster through free agency and how Campbell and his staff have developed talent.
Defensive end Aidan Hutchinson, tight end Sam LaPorta, center Frank Ragnow, linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin (special teams) and tackle Penei Sewell have all been named to the Pro Bowl this year.
It's the first selection for Hutchinson, LaPorta and Reeves-Maybin.
In his second season, Hutchinson, 23, gets his first Pro Bowl nod as he's become one of the best pass rushers in the NFL. He has 9.5 sacks for the second straight season with one more game to play. Hutchinson's 94 total pressures are second in the NFL behind only Dallas' Micah Parsons (102). His 20 quarterback hits trail only San Francisco's Nick Bosa (21). Hutchinson is one of three NFL players to have at least 5.0 sacks, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and one interception this season.
LaPorta, 22, is having one of the best rookie seasons for a tight end in NFL history. He is tied with Keith Jackson (1988) for the most receptions in a season by a rookie tight end. He has 81 receptions for 860 yards and nine touchdowns on the year. LaPorta is the only tight end in NFL history to produce 70 receptions, 700 receiving yards and nine touchdowns in a player's rookie season. He's fourth among all tight ends this season in receptions, sixth in yards and first in touchdowns.
How good has LaPorta's debut season been? The only rookies in history to produce a season with at least 80 receptions, 800 receiving yards and nine receiving touchdowns are LaPorta (2023), Ja'Marr Chase (2021), Michael Thomas (2016) and Odell Beckham Jr. (2014).
Reeves-Maybin, 28, is a seven-year veteran in his second stint with the Lions. He's been one of the best special teams players in the league for awhile now and gets his first selection to the Pro Bowl. He's currently tied for the most special teams tackles this season with 13. He's also been instrumental in a couple fake punt conversions. In Week 1 he ran for a three-yard gain to convert a 4th & 2 on a fake punt. In Week 17 he executed another successful fake punt conversion on 4th & 2 on a pass to cornerback Khalil Dorsey for 31 yards.
Ragnow, 27, earns his third Pro Bowl selection and second in as many years. He's the anchor of one of the best offensive lines in football. Detroit's offense has produced 4,000 passing yards and 2,000 rushing yards for a second consecutive season. Their 25 rushing touchdowns are third most in the league. Ragnow has allowed just one sack all season and is graded as the best center in the NFL this season by Pro Football Focus.
In just his third season, Sewell, 23, is already one of the most dominant tackles in the game and earns his second straight Pro Bowl selection. The Lions have only surrendered 30 sacks on 613 dropbacks this season (4.9 percent), the fourth best rate in the NFL. Sewell is the best run-blocking tackle in the NFL and he's allowed just one sack and 12 total pressures all season in pass pro playing both left and right tackle.
The Lions also had seven players voted as alternates for the Pro Bowl, as follows:
Wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, 1st alternate: Among all receivers this year St. Brown, 24, is tied for first in 100-yard receiving games (8), tied for second in receptions (112), tied for third in first downs (70), fourth in receiving yards per game (91.4), fifth in receiving yards (1,371) and tied for fifth in receiving touchdowns (9). With one game remaining in his third season, St. Brown currently ranks third in NFL history in receptions (308) through a player's first three career seasons.
Running back Jahmyr Gibbs, 1st: In his rookie season, Gibbs, 21, has rushed 169 times for 915 yards (5.4 avg.) and nine touchdowns to go with 52 catches for 316 yards (6.1 avg.) and one touchdown, totaling 1,231 scrimmage yards and 10 scrimmage touchdowns. He leads the NFL with 10 runs of 20-plus yards. He is only the third rookie in franchise history to produce 1,000 scrimmage yards and 10 touchdowns in a season, joining Barry Sanders (1989) and Billy Sims (1980)
Quarterback Jared Goff, 2nd: Goff's 4,255 passing yards are third most in the NFL behind only Tua Tagovailoa (4,451) and Brock Purdy (4,280). Goff, 29, was a Pro Bowler in 2017, 2018 and 2022. His 28 touchdowns rank fourth and he has the second most 20-plus yard completions this season with 64. The Lions produced 325-or-more total net yards in each of the first 12 games of the season, setting a single-season franchise record. Detroit has at least 325 yards of offense in 15 games this season.
Guard Jonah Jackson, 3rd: Jackson, 26, is the third member of Detroit's offensive line to be named a Pro Bowler or alternate. Detroit has 14 games this season with 100-or-more rushing yards and a rushing touchdown, tied for the most in the NFL. Jackson has allowed two sacks and 13 total hurries in 11 games.
Running back David Montgomery, 4th: Montgomery, 26, has produced nine games with 50-plus rushing yards and a touchdown this season, which ranks second most among all players this year, and the most by a Lions player in a single season since Sanders in 1990. He's rushed 209 times for 975 yards (4.7 avg.) and 12 touchdowns.
Kick returner Kalif Raymond, 4th: Since joining Detroit in 2021, Raymond, 29, has 66 punt returns for 742 yards (11.2 avg.) and one touchdown. He's averaging 9.7 yards per return this season and also has 33 receptions for 439 yards and a touchdown with 514 total scrimmage yards.
Linebacker Alex Anzalone, 5th: Anzalone, 29, is just the fourth Lion in franchise history to record multiple seasons of at least 120 tackles. He is the first player to do so in consecutive years since Ernie Sims in 2006-07. He's recorded at least 300 tackles, 15 pass defenses, 15 tackles for loss, 5.0 sacks and two interceptions since joining the Lions in 2021.
