Could drafting or acquiring players from a specific university make an NFL team better?
The Detroit Lions, who were a laughing stock for decades in the National Football League, are 11-4 and division champions for the first time since 1993. Detroit last won a division title in the NFC Central, but now it’s victors of the NFC North.
RELATED: Lions’ rookie RB Jahmyr Gibbs joins elite company in first NFL season
The Lions made strategic moves in the NFL Draft, free agency market, and coaching staff to pull out talent. Dan Campbell, Lions’ head coach, grabbed Jameson Williams, Jahmyr Gibbs, and Brian Branch from the Crimson Tide. Williams, an electric receiver, has complimented quarterback Jared Goff in the passing game. He has 22 receptions for 285 yards and two touchdowns.
Gibbs, the No. 12 overall pick in the 2023 draft, became the third rookie in franchise history to Toal 1,000 scrimmage yards — joining Barry Sanders and Billy Sims. He has posted 872 yards rushing, 316 yards receiving, and 10 touchdowns.
Branch, a second-round pick of the 2023 draft, is fifth on the team for total tackles (69). He has seven tackles for loss, a sack, 10 passes defended, three interceptions, a forced fumble, and a touchdown. Branch, a native Georgian, has been the steal of the draft for most as he’s been dynamic. He was Alabama’s second-best defensive player — behind Will Anderson — in the 2022 season.
Isaiah Buggs, a former Alabama defensive end, is in his second season with the Lions.
RELATED: Former Alabama player returns to AFC South team that drafted him
He got signed off the Las Vegas Raiders’ practice squad on July 22, 2022. Buggs played in all 17 games his first year, making 13 starts. He collected 46 tackles, two pass breakups, and a forced fumble. Detroit signed him to a two-year, $6 million extension on March 13, 2023. He’s totaled 12 tackles, two tackles for loss, a sack, a pass breakup, and a fumble recovery.
Shaun Dion Hamilton, a former Alabama linebacker, has helped Detroit on the coaching staff. He played one season with the Lions (2021) and joined Campbell’s staff in 2022 as a defensive assistant. He is now an assistant linebackers coach.
Hamilton, a native of Montgomery, Ala., has assisted Detroit to having one of the league’s best defenses. He is a two-time College Football Playoff National Champion (2015, 2017), but he is using what he learned from Coach Nick Saban to create something special for the Lions. Detroit has an opportunity to possibly gain home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.
The Crimson Tide alums look to put the Lions in a position to do it.
*Get the BEST Alabama football insider information, message board access, and recruiting coverage today! SIGN UP HERE to unlock our subscriber-only content!*
Stephen M. Smith is the managing editor and senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
