Normally, 330-pound defensive tackles don’t garner a ton of nicknames. The only thing is, second-year Alim McNeill is not your typical interior defensive lineman.
He possesses the feet and athleticism of a smaller human, and when you combine that with his powerful frame, you start to understand why the Detroit Lions selected him at 72 overall in the 2021 NFL draft.
When coach Dan Campbell was asked about McNeill at Tuesday morning’s press conference, he grinned with excitement, and jokingly called him by his latest nickname: “Buttercup”.
“‘Buttercup?’ He’s a stud,” Campbell said.