Detroit Lions Draft 

On April 23-25, the NFL draft was held in Pittsburg, PA. The Detroit Lions entered this draft trying to fill the holes from the previous season. Their goal was to strengthen the defense by complementing their current players. They ended up drafting 5 defensive players and only 2 offensive players. Here are each draft picks, along with small bios for each player:

Blake Miller, Offensive Tackle:

He is 6’6” and weighs 317 lbs. He set the school record for starting every game during his 4 years at Clemson. He was a big factor in a big game against Georgia Tech his senior year. Clemson rushed for 174 yards while allowing no sacks. Blake played a total of 54 games and 3,778 offensive snaps during his Clemson career.

Derrick Moore, Edge Rusher:

He is 6’3” and weighs 260 lbs. He was selected as the First-Team All-Big Ten player and won the Defensive Player of the Year in his senior season. During his college career he had a total of 4 games with 2 sacks each. Derrick was also voted as the team captain by his teammates.

Jimmy Rolder, Line Backer:

He is 6’2” and weighs 240 lbs. He led his team in sacks with 73 tackles. In his senior year, he received the Roger Zatkoff Award, which is given to the best linebacker at the University of Michigan. Jimmy was also named the Defensive Player of the Week 5 times.

Keith Abney II, Corner Back:

He is 5’11” and weighs 194lbs. In both his senior and junior year, he led his team in interceptions. During his last season at Arizona State, he forced a career-high 2 fumbles and recovered 1. He also recorded his first career sack. 

Kendrick Law, Wide Receiver:

He is 6’0” and weighs 203 lbs. In his senior year, he contributed on special teams with 3 punt returns and 3 tackles. Kendrick led his team with 53 receptions and 540 receiving yards, averaging 10.2 yards per catch. Even without starting in every game in his junior season, he still reordered 10 receptions for 105 yards and a touchdown. 

Skyler Gill-Howard, Defensive Tackle:

He is 6’1” and weighs 290 lbs. In his senior year, he was known for his strong leadership in every game he played. His season was cut short due to an injury after game 6. Even with a shortened season, he still had 13 tackles, including 2.5 for loss. He also made an interception and returned it 55 yards for a touchdown.

Tyre West, Defensive Line:

He is 6’3” and weighs 290 lbs. In his senior year, he was invited to both the Senior Bowl and American Bowl. Over his career, he recorded 65 tackles. Of those, 20.5 were tackles for loss, totaling 102 yards, while his 10 sacks resulted in 70 yards lost. He also forced 2 fumbles and a safety.