Sometime before the draft, Lions head coach Dan Campbell and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn got to talking about what the team needed. About what the franchise needed. They got to talking about Ray Lewis.
"One of the things we got to talking about was, 'What are the Baltimore Ravens known for?'" Campbell said Tuesday on SiriusXM NFL Radio. "And Baltimore, for us -- maybe it’s us-old timers -- but dude, Ray Lewis. Ray Lewis changed everything about what they are and what they’re known for. And it's like, how do we find the next Ray Lewis?"
The Lions' new regime is searching for foundational players. Players who can "create a culture around here that really embodies who we are," said Campbell. By focusing on "football players that have talent, not talented athletes that maybe can develop into football players," Campbell and GM Brad Holmes believe they found some in their first draft.
"Yeah, you gotta find the explosive athlete," Campbell said. "But man, inside of that explosive athlete, do they have the character? Do they have the leadership? Are they the guy that goes to war? Those are the guys we thought it was important to identify, and we felt like we nailed it."
Which brings us to linebacker Derrick Barnes. No one -- no one! -- is comparing the kid to Ray Lewis. But the Lions love Barnes. They traded up to get him in the fourth round because Holmes said they couldn't bear to "lose out."
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Campbell loved Barnes from the moment the Lions asked him about potentially opting out of his senior season at Purdue. Barnes was coming off a terrific junior year and the Big Ten was a mess in the face of COVID-19. An opt-out would have made sense. Campbell called Barnes' response "one of the best things ever."
"He’s like, 'Opt out? I’m a leader and a captain. Why would I opt out?’ Like, why would you even ask me that?" Campbell said. "It was so good and it just really speaks volumes about who the kid is. He’s all about team. He just wants to be there for his teammates, he wants to be held accountable, he wants to hold those near to him accountable."
Campbell also loves this about Barnes: "He's only been a stack linebacker for a year," so he's got tons of room to grow. Oh, and this: "He’s got 34-inch arms so he comes downhill and can shed blocks." Oh, and this: "He's got an old-school mentality about him."
"He’s already reached out to me, he wants to be No. 55. I mean, how throwback is 55 for an inside linebacker? It’s just so beautiful," Campbell said with a laugh. "Yet he’s a damn good athlete. This kid can run. He’s an old-school mentality but a new-age athlete."
Detroit's defense needs more speed, particularly at linebacker. The entire roster needs more playmakers. And this organization needs building blocks, players who reflect what the new regime hopes to become. Campbell likes Barnes' chances to check each box.
"He’ll have a little bit of growing pains, but we all think this kid can develop into something special," Campbell said. "His character just reeks of success, and those are the dudes we’re looking for. He’s competitive, he’s tough, he’s smart, he’s everything. We are fired up to have this guy."