Penei Sewell has been everything the Detroit Lions hoped for in a top-10 pick, and Amon-Ra St. Brown has exceeded expectations as one of the best rookie receivers in the 2021 draft.
Alim McNeill is coming off his best game of the season at nose tackle, and Ifeatu Melifonwu and Jermar Jefferson have seen limited playing time for different reasons.
The one Lions rookie who has underperformed his draft status while playing regular minutes this season is second-round pick Levi Onwuzurike, though Lions defensive line coach Todd Wash said nothing that's happened on the field has dimmed his hopes for Onwuzurike's future.