Follett was seen as a hard-hitting linebacker and that translated to his first season in Detroit. As primarily a special teams player, Follett’s ability to knock down opponents resonated with this blue-collar town.
“I really enjoy the fan support because I was a huge NFL football fan growing up,” said Follett. “NFL Sunday Ticket – that was my church every Sunday. I watched every game, played fantasy football and if I could interact with a player on my team I would have gone crazy.
“Now that I’m in that position, I always made a promise to my mom that when I got in the NFL I was going to take care of the fans and it’s working out to where it’s going both ways.”
Now, with a year under his belt, Follett will have the opportunity for an expanded role that includes a different skill set than the one the fans have enjoyed seeing: his ability to make bone-crushing hits on the opposition.
While special teams has the mentality of getting to the other end of the field to get after the player with the ball, playing defense is much more calculated.
“Special teams, you have to get your head ready, go down and bust somebody,” said Follett. “(Defense) is more: be calm, play the progression, know the play, think about what you’re going to do because, from when you get the call and the ball is snapped, you have about four seconds to figure out what everyone’s doing.
“There’s a lot more thinking involved, but if you can get the whole thinking part like second-nature, then you can just play fast and that’s when I become good.”
With the departure of outside linebacker Ernie Sims, that starting spot is open and Follett is looking to take full advantage.
The linebacker group is relatively young with every player except
Detroit didn’t look to bring in a seasoned veteran to fill the vacancy at outside linebacker, but instead looked to Follett to seriously compete for the job.
“They showed me that they have the faith in me,” said Follett, who has spent a lot of time in his playbook this offseason.
“Just to give me a chance shows a lot to me, so I’m just going to go out there and play now instead of worrying.”
The way Follett plays is something that helps him stand out and it has come to life in his second year. Having been with the team for a full year, his comfort level with his teammates, coaches and NFL life has gone up, allowing his personality to show through.
That personality reflects the type of player he is.
“I like to have fun and joke around,” he said. “When I go out there on that field, I just get in my ‘Zack mode’ and just go out there and go crazy. Last year, I’m sitting here thinking about the plays and more of trying to get into the flow of what’s going on.
“So it was rough for me last year, but now I have an understanding of the defense and everything’s been coming a lot smoother.”
Another element of this year is the added talent along the defensive line.
Detroit made a point to add veterans to the mix, bringing in
It is something that has impacted young players like Follett.
“Not only did we get some big names on the line, but they’re great leaders and hard workers,” said Follett. “The vets that were brought in are coming here to work and make this team better.”
