Among the best names in NFL history is former Indianapolis Colts cornerback Rock Ya-Sin. He was a second-round pick in 2019, spent three decent seasons with Indy, and then was traded to the Raiders in 2022. In return, the Colts received Yannick Ngakoue, and he was pretty good for one year.
Since Ya-Sin was moved, he has bounced around the league. He has played a bunch and been fairly decent in coverage, but no team seems to have bought into Ya-Sin enough to make him a long-term piece. He might be proving he deserves better in 2025, though.
Ya-Sin signed with the Detroit Lions this offseason, which will be his fifth team in five years. He has always had his drawbacks. He doesn't create enough turnovers and doesn't do anything that is remotely versatile. He is a cornerback, but a solid one.
Former Indianapolis Colts draft pick Rock Ya-Sin standing out for the Detroit Lions
He is proving that to the Lions so far in training camp. Rock was always a fitting name for the cornerback because he can tackle. Hard. He did so in the Lions' first preseason game against the Los Angeles Chargers. While Detroit gave up a bunch of points in a game that featured backups versus backups, LA steered mostly away from Ya-Sin.
He also had two crushing hits near the goal line. Classic Ya-Sin, and good for him.
The question about the player is why he never finds a permanent home. In three of the past four seasons, he has had a quarterback rating allowed of a solid 88.8 or less. While he doesn't intercept the ball, he also doesn't give up a ton of touchdowns, just 12 in his six-year career, and never more than three in any season.
He has also missed just 7.4 percent of his tackle attempts in his career, a great number for a defensive back. Plus, he just turned 29 years old.
Rock Ya-Sin's one-year deal with the Lions is for only $1,030,000 with no guaranteed money. He has simply been a player who did not create enough buzz for himself. He is a good secondary piece to have on the team. If the Lions release him (and they shouldn't), maybe the Indianapolis Colts should think about a reunion for their former second-round draft pick.