The Detroit Lions signed second-round running back Ameer Abdullah to his rookie contract Wednesday.
The former Nebraska tailback is expected to battle for a share of the load in the Lions' backfield with starter Joique Bell and jitterbug Theo Riddick.
Abdullah could offer the prefect compliment to Bell as a replacement for Reggie Bush, with Detroit planning to divvy up the carries in 2015. The Lions will want to lessen Bell's totes this season coming off a 223-carry year.
Abdullah stands 5-foot-9, 205 pounds with good explosion, vision and stop-and-start ability. The biggest knock on the rookie coming out of college was his lack of size.
It's an issue the back dismissed, stating after the draft he could become an every-down ball carrier for the Lions.
"A lot of guys want to put me in the category of third-down back. For those who say that, I ask them to turn on my film," he said.
NFL Media's Lance Zierlein compared Abdullah to Arizona Cardinals' shifty back Andre Ellington. If the rookie comes close to meeting that comparison, the Lions could unleash a powerful Bell-Abdullah combination behind a bolstered offensive line in 2015.
Detroit's only draft pick left unsigned is first-round selection Laken Tomlinson.
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