ALLEN PARK -- The Lions were excited when they traded up in the second round and drafted the leading rusher in the Southeastern Conference this spring. But like any rookie, and especially a running back, they had to wait and see what Kerryon Johnson would actually look like on the field.
They heard the basic scouting reports, about his vision and toughness, but almost nobody runs as well in the NFL as they do in college, especially not on the Lions.
At the time Detroit made the Auburn product its second-round pick this spring, Matthew Stafford had only played with seven 100-yard rushers in nine seasons, the same number Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott played with as a rookie in 2016.