With all 32 NFL teams officially in offseason mode now, there's a lot to look forward to.
The Detroit Lions and head coach Matt Patricia got a head start on scouting college prospects by coaching the North Team at the 2020 Senior Bowl this year.
"It is really valuable," Patricia said. "I'd say the best part of all of it is the kids. I thought our kids were great. Our kids worked hard and practiced hard. They played their (butts) off. I wouldn't say we were the most talented team, but we played harder and better and executed. That was fun. It was just fun being around the kids."
In addition to the senior talent, the NFL granted special eligibility for 99 players, as well as 16 payers who fulfilled their degree requirements with college eligibility remaining for the draft.
Those names include players like Ohio State's Chase Young, Ohio State's Jeff Okudah and Alabama's Tua Tagovailoa -- all players who have been linked to the Lions in some way throughout mock drafts so far this year.
The next big event on the pre-draft calendar is the NFL Scouting Combine, which kicks off Tuesday, February 25.
LIONS SIGN GARNETT
The Lions announced Monday that they signed free agent guard Josh Garnett.
A former first-round pick (28th overall) by the San Francisco 49ers in 2016 out of Stanford, Garnett has appeared in 22 career games (11 starts). He spent three seasons with the 49ers (2016-18) before being released at the start of the 2019 regular season.
OTHER NOTEWORTHY ITEMS
- Mike O'Hara takes a look at how teams have fared with the No. 35 overall pick in the NFL Draft in the last 10 years.
- View photos of the Lions' stat leaders from the 2019 season.
- Read why former cornerback and current NFL Network analyst DeAngelo Hall loves watching Lions cornerback Darius Slay play.
