The Detroit Lions added some size and versatility when they signed rookie running back Anthony Tyus III as an undrafted free agent, but the former breakout star could face a new battle in trying to find a spot on the roster.
Tyus went undrafted after a strong final season at Ohio, where he earned some buzz for the unexpected production after a relatively quiet collegiate career. He will now compete for a spot in a crowded backfield in Detroit, leading one insider to predict he will land on the wrong side of the roster bubble at the end of the summer.
Anthony Tyus III Expected to Miss the Cut
SI.com’s John Maakaron offered an early prediction of the team’s final 53-man roster, putting stars Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery at the top of the depth chart with Craig Reynolds and Sione Vaki offering depth. Maakaron predicted that Tyus will miss the cut.
Tyus could be a strong candidate for the practice squad. As Tim Twentyman of the team’s official website noted, the power-rushing back had a breakout season after transferring from Northwestern to Ohio for his final collegiate season.
“Tyus rushed for 1,215 yards and nine touchdowns, averaging 5.1 yards per attempt and 93.5 yards per game this past season,” Twentyman wrote. “Additionally, he caught 16 passes for 137 yards and two touchdowns.”
Matthew Ehler of MLive.com noted that Tyus finished particularly strong at the end of his college career.
“In fact, Tyus III rushed for over 100 yards in each of the Bobcats’ last four games, carrying the rock 27 times for 151 yards and a score in their 38-3 MAC title game rout over Miami (OH) and racking up 26 totes for 104 yards in their 30-27 Cure Bowl game victory over Jacksonville State,” Ehler wrote.
The production was largely unexpected, as Tyus had just 504 total rushing yards and 81 receiving yards through three seasons at Northwestern.
Lions Could Find a Different Breakout Player
Tyus could face a challenge in passing one of the other young players in the Lions backfield, Vaki. The team originally began scouting him when he was a safety at Utah, then continued to show interest when Vaki made the shift to running back.
Vaki didn’t have a big role in the offense in his rookie season in 2024, carrying the ball just six times for 14 tards and making three catches for 37 yards, but saw significant time on special teams and could be headed to a bigger role in the rushing game in 2025.
Lions running backs coach Tashard Choice offered praise for Vaki at the team’s early practices in the spring, saying he has shown incredible growth from his rookie season.
“I’m very impressed by him right now. Having the chance to have him in OTAs, his quickness, his suddeness. He works extremely hard,” Choice said, via SI.com. “I know how well he’s done this last year on teams. Talking to Fipp a lot and having a chance for him to be with the returners and seeing him move and watching tape. The son of a gun can play. To me, I think he’s still like putty where you can form him to be the player you want. The fact that he has D-Mo, he has Jah, guys that do things the right way, he’s in a position to really succeed.”
