Macik signs with Detroit

Penn wide receiver pens one-year free-agent deal with Lions for the league minimum Sewickley Hts., PA On April 21, the post-graduation career of Penn senior Miles Macik was in serious doubt. As 254 names were called during the NFL entry draft, Macik waited. But 254 names came and went, and Macik was still not attached to an NFL team. However, the waiting game ended for the All-American wide receiver on April 24, when he got the call that the Detroit Lions had agreed to terms on a free-agent contract. "I was worried when nothing came up after the draft," Macik said. "But it all worked out." Macik signed a one-year contract for the league-minimum salary. "Now that I've got my foot in the door, it's up to me to make the team," Macik said. "All I could ask for was a chance, and now I've got one. It's unbelievable." The three-time all-Ivy wideout got his first opportunity to impressive the Detroit coaches on April 26, when the Lions' three-day mini-camp opened. According to Macik, the Lions coaches asked the rookies to come in early with the veterans so that they could begin looking at game film and start learning Detroit's system. "I'm pretty confident. One of my strengths is reading defenses, reading coverages," Macik said. Macik, who lives in Rochester, Mich., was especially excited about playing in Detroit. "I live out in Detroit, just a few minutes from the Silverdome," Macik said. "It turned out really well. I'll get to be home and play in front of my family." In his three years at the varsity level, Macik set an Ivy League record with 200 career receptions. Macik is also second in Penn history with 2,365 career receiving yards. Despite coming from a Division I-AA program, Macik believes his college experience has prepared him well for the NFL. He explained that he played in a pro-style offense at Penn that doesn't differ greatly from the Lions' system. "They're pretty comparable," Macik said. "They're both one-back offenses that emphasize the run. And they both use a lot of multiple-receiver sets." Before last weekend's draft, Macik had worked out for 9 NFL teams -- Detroit, Carolina, Kansas City, Tampa Bay, St. Louis, Minnesota, Green Bay, Baltimore and the New York Giants. Since Penn's season ended in November, Macik, at six-foot-four, has bulked up to nearly 215 pounds -- 15 more than he was listed at during the season. Macik ran the 40-yard dash in 4.67 seconds. It is not his speed (which is just average for an NFL receiver) that drew the attention of NFL scouts, but his magnetic hands, leaping ability, body control and crisp routes. With one of the best crops of collegiate receivers in recent years, Macik was not selected in the seven-round draft. In all, 33 wide receivers were selected, including five first-rounders and six second-rounders. Macik had hoped to be a late-round selection. Last year, Detroit finished with a regular-season record of 10-6 and earned a wild-card berth to the playoffs. But the Lions were knocked out in the first round of the playoffs by the Philadelphia Eagles. The Lions lead the NFL in total offense and had the second-ranked passing attack in the league.