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Lions’ Josh Paschal is ready to take advantage of opportunities where his NFL career began

VaselineOctober 13, 2024

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Lions’ Josh Paschal is ready to take advantage of opportunities where his NFL career began

Allen Park — The Lions surprised some by selecting back-to-back cornerbacks in the 2024 draft, but there was precedent.

They did something similar in 2022, drafting edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson second overall before taking another lead, Kentucky’s Josh Paschal, with their second-round selection.

Hutchinson and Paschal have had very different journeys in the league. Hutchinson was a hit from the jump, and entering the Lions’ Week 6 matchup against the Dallas Cowboys, he’s a frontrunner for Defensive Player of the Year. Paschal, meanwhile, started this season as a reserve player before being given more responsibility following Marcus Davenport’s season-ending injury.

After a game in which he had three pressures (his most since Week 17 in 2022) and a season-high 53 defensive snaps (his previous high was 18), Paschal is ready to put his foot on the pedal.

“Once you can play a certain amount of snaps, you really get into your rhythm. Once you get into that rhythm, you can really find your zone,” Paschal said Friday. “And then I feel like I’m playing my best ball. With more snaps, that obviously becomes easier.”

Paschal’s next big opportunity will see him return to Dallas, where he made his NFL debut in Week 7 of the 2022 season. Asked about Paschal’s approach to this opportunity, Hutchinson recalled the feeling of being next to him for the first time sat on the couch.

“We got to play together for the first time (in that Dallas game). We were just there, we were on the bench my rookie year (and) we were like, ‘We’re having fun now,'” Hutchinson said. “So I think it’s funny that we’re getting about the same thing now; Dallas, two years later, we’re both more experienced. It’s going to be fun. I enjoy playing with him.”

Paschal reflected on his NFL debut on Friday.

“It was just a fun moment, man, just being out there with your dog, participating, getting after the quarterback,” he said. “That camaraderie that you have, especially with someone you already have a good relationship with, that’s just a great thing to have.”

While it was questionable whether the Lions would attempt to fill Davenport’s role with a committee approach, it appears Paschal will receive the lion’s share. Against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 4, 41 of his defensive snaps came against the pass and 11 against the run (he also had one snap in coverage, reading a screen and playing the ball carrier for minimal gains).

Still, Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn believes there is more to Paschal’s game.

“That’s something I talked about when Davenport went down, that (Paschal) is going to have to step up. I expect more from that player and he expects more from himself,” Glenn said. “And yes, he did very well against Seattle, but the point is we have to be able to do that consistently, week in and week out. I’m looking forward to seeing how he comes out this week, and I know that he will do well.

“He practices his best. He learns a lot from Hutch. Those guys spend a lot of time together on how they want to operate and how they want to rush the passer.”

Most edge rushers enjoy sacking the quarterback more than anything else. But Paschal would be lying if he said he didn’t like to make an impact in the running game.

“The best part of (my game) is definitely my run defense,” he said. “But now I can also influence the passer-by. I’m one of those guys who likes to see his knuckles bleed a little.

“I like old-fashioned football.”

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@nolanbianchi