Entering third season, Lions eager to see if special teams standout Sione Vaki has anything to offer offensively
Allen Park — Three drafts removed from his arrival in Detroit, it’s easy to forget how few reps Sione Vaki had at running back during his college career.
Forced into a two-way role because of an injury-depleted depth chart, Vaki logged just 76 offensive snaps for Utah in 2023. However, those 76 plays resulted in 53 touches and 520 yards from scrimmage, paving the way to a full-time conversion to offense after the Detroit Lions selected him in the fourth round of the 2024 draft.
During his first training camp with the Lions, Vaki cautiously projected that he wouldn’t feel fully acclimated to the running back position for three years. Now, entering his third season, the team is ready to see what he can reasonably contribute out of the backfield.