When the Detroit Lions selected Amani Oruwariye in the 5th round of the 2019 draft, most everyone thought the Lions were getting absolute value for the Penn State cornerback, who some viewed as a first-round prospect. However, it became increasingly clear it would take Oruwariye some time to acclimate to the NFL as cornerback is one of the tougher positions to transition to the pros from college.
The Lions gradually brought him in his rookie season, playing only 215 snaps while allowing 14 catches for 174 yards and three touchdowns in limited play. He was then handed the reigns as the full-time starter in sophomore season (the same year the Lions elected to take Jeff Okudah to pair with Oruwariye on the opposite side) but did not take the next step forward, allowing 42 catches for 720 yards and three touchdowns.
As the Lions transitioned from the Quinntricia era to the Holmes/Campbell era, Oruwariye made big strides in his third season under Aaron Glenn’s defensive scheme and leadership. He only allowed 582 yards and two touchdowns on 41 catches while recording a career-high six interceptions. While that’s an impressive stat line in itself, he also made massive improvements in other areas. He nearly slashed his yards after the catch in half, going from 302 in 2020 to just 154 in 2021, while lowering his QBR from 96.2 in 2020 to just 60.2 in 2021, which ranked near the top in the league.
There have been early discussions with the Lions brass to work out a deal for the breakout cornerback to keep him in Detroit for the long term, and during a media interview on Wednesday, Oruwariye has expressed that same desire.
“Absolutely, yeah. I love Detroit, I love being here. I love everything it’s given me–giving me a chance to play in the NFL. Ideally, that’s where I want to be at.”
The Lions were bit hard by the injury bug last year, especially in the cornerback room, losing Okudah right at the beginning of the season and then relying on UDFAs and street…