Often Overshadowed, DeAndre Levy Shines As Subtle Star For Lions Defense
By Ashley Dunkak
@AshleyDunkak
ALLEN PARK (CBS DETROIT) - When people talk about the Detroit Lions defense, they almost invariably invoke the names of defensive linemen Ndamukong Suh, Nick Fairley and Ezekiel Ansah. Less notorious but likely just as valuable, linebacker DeAndre Levy made a memorable first impression on Jim Caldwell quite some time before the new Lions head coach arrived in Detroit.
Caldwell shared an anecdote about Levy this week that seems to exemplify what the linebacker brings to the Detroit defense.
"There was one in particular when we played here at the end of the season when I was at Baltimore, we had a play that was kind of designed to fool a linebacker," Caldwell said Thursday. "Most of the time when we run this particular play, often times the linebacker would end up going with the flow with the usual four receivers, strong side. We actually called it in the ball game and, ironically, Levy was able to pick it up. It wasn't noticeable on film, but those of us that were facing him knew exactly that he thwarted this particular play.
"He'd never seen it," Caldwell continued later. "I'm reluctant to tell you exactly what the play was, but it was a trick play. Usually, it was a very difficult play to sniff out, and he was able to certainly recognize it. He was the only linebacker that we saw that moved in the direction of the play as opposed to opposite. I haven't asked him yet why he did it, but I will one of these days."
Levy, 27, turned in his best season yet in 2013, totaling 119 tackles and six interceptions. Many felt Levy's performance should have earned him a spot in the Pro Bowl.
Even Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers sang Levy's praises - without prompting.
"DeAndre has really made himself into a guy who is consistently considered for the Pro Bowl," Rodgers said in a teleconference with Detroit media Wednesday. "A lot of people talk about Ndamukong [Suh], Nick [Fairley] and Ezekiel [Ansah] for a good reason, they're really talented players, but the guys behind them, especially Stephen [Tullocoh] and DeAndre, are guys that help make that defense go."
Through just two games this season, Levy already has 17 tackles and an interception. Tulloch reflected on his teammate's performance and declared, as Rodgers did, that Levy is worthy of some national recognition.
"He just works," Tulloch said. "He's all business. Lev is a guy that's going to stay in the weight room, he's going to take care of his body, he's going to study film, and he's going to correct his mistakes. He's never going to make the same mistake twice. He's grown so much as a player.
"If they rob him of the Pro Bowl, I might go to the NFL office myself and figure out what's going on," Tulloch added. "He deserves it, man. He makes a lot of plays in the pass game ... I don't think there's any other linebacker in the NFL that can cover better than DeAndre Levy. He's a great man-to-man cover guy, very good in zone coverage, and he can run."
Levy has spent his entire NFL career with the Lions, who drafted him in the third round in 2009.
