Allen Park — Lions rookie James Houston isn't your traditional player.
The Jackson State product is listed as an outside linebacker, but that doesn't mean he's been pigeonholed into that position. In fact, defensive line coach Todd Wash said during OTAs earlier this month that Houston has been working with his position group "a lot."
"He’ll play SAM in base and then he plays the rush position in sub (packages)," Wash told reporters on June 13. "This whole week, he’ll be in my room, this whole week. We’re trying to calm his world down a little bit, with the mental side of things, and let him really show his athleticism that we saw at Jackson (State).