ALLEN PARK, Mich. (AP) - Titus Young's wait to make his NFL debut is almost over.

The Detroit Lions rookie receiver was cleared to practice this week after an injured left groin slowed him down and he passed the tests, putting him in a position to play Saturday night against New England.

"I'm definitely excited," Young said.

Young will be the only one of Detroit's top three picks to play in the preseason game against the Patriots. Defensive tackle Nick Fairley, drafted No. 13 overall, hasn't practiced since having surgery on his left foot and running back Mikel Leshoure had a season-ending injury.

The Lions eased Young back into 11-on-11 situations, letting him start with individual drills before increasing his workload.

"I don't know if he's over the hump yet, but he's close to it," Detroit coach Jim Schwartz said. "He was able to put a week of practice together and was able to finish practices. ... I think he's at the point where he can go out and get through a whole practice and be able to play in a game."

"There's a reason we drafted him so high. He's got good quickness and playmaking ability. He fits well with the other guys. So hopefully we can see that on the field."

Detroit drafted Young in the second round, 44th overall, hoping the former Boise State star could slide into the role of slot receiver between Pro Bowler Calvin Johnson and Nate Burleson.

The trio lined up together at times Thursday with quarterback Matthew Stafford and the rest of the first-string offense.

"He's an explosive guy," Stafford said. "He catches the ball confidently with his hands and he's got a suddenness to him that you can't teach, it's just natural. He's still rough around the edges with our offense because he hasn't had a lot of reps, but we can work with him on that, polish him up and he's got a chance to be really good."

Burleson agreed.

"He looks good even though he's still working on his conditioning and getting physically and mentally healthy from the hamstring," Burleson said. "When he runs routes, he gets separation. That's not easy to get away from a DB. And even when he's warming up, he catches with his hands and that's a good sign."

He caught 150 passes for 19 touchdowns and 2,200-plus yards combined in his past two seasons at Boise State.

The 5-foot-11, 170-pound Young knows it'll be just about impossible to match that type of production, sharing the ball with Johnson, Burleson, a pair of tight ends and running back Jahvid Best. But being a secondary option on most plays doesn't sound like it's going to be a problem for him.

"Being the man is not really the goal," he said. "The goal at hand is to win the Super Bowl, but I love to get the ball because I love making plays for my team."

He also loves the thought of his parents moving to the Motor City, where the family has ties. His father, Richard Young, was at the team's open practice Thursday and his mother, Teresa Young, is on her way.

"They're about to move here for Texas," Young said. "I wouldn't mind them living with me, but of course a young man needs his privacy. You can't get married living with your parents. I want them to have their own space in a real, nice, guarded-gated community."

Young didn't have that type of home, growing up in South Central Los Angeles, but his father made sure he had enough each day to get a treat.

"Every single day I would come to my dad was, `Can I have a dollar?"' Young recalled. "That's all I asked for, so I could go get some hot chips or nachos in the neighborhood. It probably added up to a couple thousands of dollars. I want to give him more than just a dollar and let him relax the rest of his life."

Young wasn't afforded the luxury of relaxing much as a kid, but he thinks it prepared him well for his life.

"Life in South Central Los Angeles is a day-to-day grind," he said. "It molded me into the man I am today. There are a lot of positives that a lot of kids never experience as far as street knowledge and how to handle and protect yourself. I know there are areas in Detroit just like South Central and I think that's another reason this is the best place for me because I represent the struggle."

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