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Lions Bring In Speedy UAB Wide Receiver J.J. Nelson For Pre-Draft Visit

By Ashley Dunkak
@AshleyDunkak

CBS DETROIT - At the Detroit Lions town hall meeting Tuesday, new special teams coordinator Joe Marciano said the return man position would be a competitive one. The Lions hosted a prospect Thursday who could be a contender in that competition.

UAB wide receiver J.J. Nelson, listed at 5-foot-10 and 156 pounds, turned in a 4.28-second 40-yard dash at the NFL combine. His time was the fastest of any player. In his senior season at UAB, Nelson caught 35 passes for 655 yards and four touchdowns, but he turned heads even more as a returner.

Nelson returned 26 punts for 277 yards, and he returned 22 kicks for 843 yards and four touchdowns.

The return man for the Lions in recent seasons has been Jeremy Ross, and while Marciano noted he saw some good traits in Ross, he also spoke wistfully about how some returners are simply at another level.

The coordinator even hinted jokingly to Lions president Tom Lewand that he would appreciate the team grabbing such a talent in the upcoming draft.

"There's very few returners that can do it without any blocking," Marciano said Tuesday. "Those guys are special, okay? Guys that can make plays with positive yards with very limited blocking, they're hard to find – unless you get them in the draft, Tom."

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