TEEZ TABOR
Position: Cornerback
Ht/Wt: 6-0, 201
College: Florida
Experience: 2nd year
Outlook: Tabor is among a group of players – which also includes veterans DeShawn Shead and Nevin Lawson – competing for a starting role at outside cornerback opposite Darius Slay.
The Lions drafted Tabor in the second round last year. They were able to take their time developing him, and played him when they felt he was ready. Tabor earned a significant role (39 snaps) Week 14 in Tampa Bay, and was playing well right up until he suffered an arm injury in the first quarter of the regular season finale vs. Green Bay.
During the open OTA and minicamp practices this offseason, Tabor saw a significant amount of reps with the first-team defense. He has terrific length and a high football IQ, and those traits should serve him well throughout camp as the cornerback competition develops.
Practice report: Shead took most of the first-team reps opposite Slay during Friday's first training camp practice, with Tabor and Lawson getting a lot of second-team reps. The expectation is that we'll see a lot of rotation among that group of corners throughout camp.
Tabor had a nice first practice to kick off his 2018 camp. Receivers Teo Redding and TJ Jones caught passes in front of him in a 7-on-7 red zone period, but Tabor came right back a couple plays later and made a terrific play in the corner of the end zone, breaking up a ball intended for Jones on a fade route.
A little later in practice, Tabor made back-to-back nice plays in the end zone, knocking away two passes intended for receiver Bradley Marquez. He forced a third pass to be thrown too far behind Marquez because of sticky coverage.
Tabor was also active in special teams periods.
Quotable: "He had a heck of an offseason," veteran receiver Golden Tate said of Tabor after Friday's practice. "One of the best DB's as far as participation, grinding and showing up to work every day and getting better. We've seen this guy get better very quickly and we're expecting him to do some great things this camp."
