Aubrey Pleasant is coming home, and it’s to join Dan Campbell’s growing staff with the Detroit Lions.

Reports surfaced on Monday evening that the Lions are hiring the Flint-native as its secondary coach. He will also be passing game coordinator. Pleasant, 34, has spent the last four seasons as the cornerbacks coach for the Los Angeles Rams. With the Rams, he’s worked with Pro Bowl corners such as Aqib Talib, Marcus Peters, and Jalen Ramsey. Pleasant also helped raise the game Troy Hill and Darious Williams.

Jalen Ramsey, on several occasions, has heaped high-praise on Pleasant’s coaching.

“When you need an ear to listen, he’s there for you,” Ramsey said. “When you need somebody to tell you the truth, like right or wrong, he’s that as well.”

Jalen Ramsey also had high praise to Rams CBs coach Aubrey Pleasant: "In my opinion, this is the best body of work that I've put out in the NFL, and a lot of that is thanks to him." Said Pleasant "for sure" has the skillset to get looks as a defensive coordinator.

— Stu Jackson (@StuJRams) January 17, 2021

What Pleasant brings to the Lions’ secondary?

Pleasant is a massive hire in many ways. This season, the Rams had the NFL’s top passing defense, while the Lions ranked 31st. He will bring instant creditability to a secondary that is in desperate need of it. Along with that, Detroit Lions’ rookie Jeff Okudah did not have a good showing this season. With Pleasant and the Lions hiring Aaron Glenn as the new defensive coordinator, Okudah will have plenty of knowledge and experience surrounding him.

His work with the Rams’ defensive backs was significant.

Pleasant played a significant part in carrying out the defensive scheme of former Rams’ defensive coordinator Wade Phillips. In 2018, five of the Rams’ cornerbacks recorded at least two interceptions. In that same season, the Rams had 28 takeaways and 18 interceptions.

Before joining the Rams’ coaching staff, Pleasant was an offensive assistant and defensive quality control with the Washington Redskins. He was a coaching intern for the Cleveland Browns. Additionally, Pleasant was a defensive graduate assistant and assistant defensive backs coach at the University of Michigan.

Aubrey Pleasant’s time with Michigan was very significant. After working specifically with the defensive backs, Michigan’s defense rose to 17th in the nation after ranking 110th before arriving in 2011. Additionally, Michigan led the Big Ten in takeaways with 29.

Pleasant is a graduate from Flint’s Montrose High School. He also attended Flint Northern High School. He is the third person from the Rams’ organization to leave and join the Lions. The Lions also hired Rams’ former director of scouting Brad Holmes as general manager. They also added Rams’ director of pro personnel Ray Agnew as the new assistant GM.