Detroit Lions defensive lineman Demetrius Taylor is expected to make his NFL debut in the team’s Week 5 matchup with the New England Patriots.

The undrafted rookie has been listed as inactive through the first four games of the season. Now, with the personnel changes on defense, he is expected to play in the big defensive end spot. Taylor played the same position in college.

“I played there in college, so it’s like I’m comfortable out there. It’s just me making the calls and making sure everybody’s on the same page. So that’s like another thing that I don’t want to mess up on. So every time I get it I’m just trying to be as loud as I can so everybody on the D-line is on one accord.”

Taylor comes to Detroit after spending 5 seasons at Appalachian State. In his time there, he totaled 136 tackles, 26.5 sacks, 45.5 tackles for loss, five forced fumbles, three blocked kicks, 10 passes defended and one interception.

Demetrius Taylor is switching positions, kicking out to the Big DE role, and he will probably assume the assignments John Cominsky has had.

To get an idea of what that might look like, I brought this idea up last May because he played a very similar role in college. https://t.co/C7Sj2x6fgl

— Erik Schlitt (@erikschlitt) October 6, 2022

Taylor’s Stats

The 23-year-old stands at 6’1” and weighs in at 298-pounds. Aaron Glenn spoke on the rookie’s abilities in a press conference on Thursday.

“He’s a really good penetrator, he has leverage because of his stature, and he plays his butt off. And so at some point in time he was going to get his opportunity to come in and play for us. And this week he will, now in what capacity we’re still trying to get that figured out.”

Taylor told media in the locker room on Wednesday that he found out he was going to play via 97.1 The Ticket. Dan Campbell, on his weekly radio spot, said that they were going to give “Meech” a go. Taylor says after the disappointing performance last week, the defense is ready to do whatever they need to do.

“We’re pretty motivated to fix like everything, because as a defense, you’re thinking, ‘man, the offense is putting up 30 points a game, you shouldn’t lose.’ So it’s like it’s on us to fix what we got going on. And that’s what we plan on doing. This week is just going out there and playing hard.”

The Lions will hit the road this weekend for Sunday’s matchup with the Patriots.

Photo Credit: Philip G. Pavely-USA TODAY Sports