As the dust settles from the 2012 season and the 2013 NFL Draft, a South Dakota native finds himself now as a starter for an NFL team.

Parkston's Riley Reiff will go into training camp as the starting left tackle for the Detroit Lions, as the team tries to replace a trio of starters from last season's offensive line.

During his rookie season, Reiff, the 23red overall pick out of Iowa last year, was backing up veteran Jeff Backus, but Backus retired after the season.

The Lions had an opportunity to bolster the line during last week's draft, but missed out on the top three tackles in the first round, before taking Kentucky guard Larry Warford in the round three.

Reiff did start one game for the lions, when Backus was injured, and Lions Head Coach Jim Schwartz told the Detroit Free Press, he thinks Reiff is ready:

There’s a big difference between walking in the building as a rookie and being around here for a year.

He got some playing experience last year.

He’s worked very hard at it.

It’s just a different look about you when you’re a second-year player.

You know where the locker room is, you know where the cafeteria is, you know your way to the weight room.

You don’t look lost and, a lot of the times, rookies do. Everything’s new to them.

It’s not new to him this year.

He’s been through a training camp, he’s been through a full season.

The Lions open the regular season with the Vikings, September 8th, in Detroit.  The two play in Minneapolis the final game of the regular season, December 29th.

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