Sione Vaki’s first appearance in an NFL preseason game was brief, but it made a positive impression.
The former University of Utah dual-way player had four carries for 29 yards for the Detroit Lions in their 14-3 loss to the New York Giants on Thursday night at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Vaki’s carries all came on one series late in the first half.
His highlight of the night came on a 15-yard run where the 5-foot-11 running back juked and weaved his way through the middle of the defense to move the Lions to the Giants’ 27-yard line.
Two plays before that, Vaki ripped off a 9-yard run that got Detroit to midfield.
Later in the drive, Vaki, who starred for the Utes as a safety before also playing some running back last year, showed off his defensive experience by helping the Lions get the ball back after a turnover.
Lions quarterback Nate Sudfeld was intercepted on a fourth-down play inside the Giants 20, and Vaki was one of the Detroit players who tried chasing down New York’s Tre Herndon, who picked off the pass intro triple coverage.
Detroit receiver Tom Kennedy caught Herndon and punched the ball loose from his hands, and Vaki pounced on the fumble, giving the ball back to Detroit.
“Vaki was the first-half high point of the Lions offense. He didn’t play until the final series of the half. He gained a yard on his first carry,” the Detroit Free Press’ Shawn Windsor wrote.
“Then nine more. Then added 15. Suddenly, the Lions looked like they had an offense. Vaki hit the right holes, hit them quickly, and showed good wiggle once he got through them.
“He had a nice debut.”
The Lions drafted Vaki in the fourth round back in April and have moved him to the offensive side of the ball full time.
“When I had visited with the Lions, my initial thought was to just come in and … just be wherever the coaches, wherever the organization needed me to be,” Vaki told reporters on a Zoom call shortly after he was drafted.
His 29-yard rushing effort — with a 7.3 per-carry average — was second-most for the Lions in the loss, bested only by 34 yards from backup quarterback Hendon Hooker.
Late last week, Lions coach Dan Campbell praised the work Vaki is putting in learning the nuances of the running game at the pro level.
“He is growing and he’s learning. I just bring it up again, he is new to the position, so I think for him…a lot of it is going to be really the carries,” Campbell said, according to The Detroit News. “His count, what he’s looking at, his vision…he’s pretty smart, he’s pretty instinctive, he’s picking up the pass game protections.”