Lions Select DT Levi Onwuzurike in Second Round
With their second-round selection (No. 41), the Detroit Lions have drafted Washington defensive tackle Levi Onwuzurike.
With several talented players on defense still on the board, Detroit looked to continue to bolster its defensive line.
According to SI's NFL Draft Bible, "Onwuzurike could be one of the best-kept secrets in the cycle. In a class desperately trying to find interior pass rushers, Onwuzurike has flashed some of the highest potential of the bunch. He is cat quick with impressive flexibility inside, showing the talent to “get skinny” and shoot gaps at a high level. In the run game, he shows enough anchor to occupy multiple blockers while still working laterally at proper depth. The next step is for Onwuzurike to put it all together. For as talented as he is, the production does not yet match the overall skill set. If he is able to gain any sort of consistency, Onwuzurike could hear his name called inside the top 50."
Onwuzurike, who opted out of playing in 2020, had 31 pressures on under 300 pass-rushing snaps in 2019, according to Pro Football Focus.
In '19, he was also named first-team All-Pac-12, while recording 45 tackles, six tackles for loss, two sacks and a blocked kick in 13 games.
In 39 career games at Washington, he totaled seven sacks and 16 tackles for loss.
Barring a trade back into the second round, Detroit won't pick again until No. 72 overall -- the eighth pick in the third round.
Picks made so far in 2021 NFL Draft:
- Round 1, Pick 7 - Oregon OL Penei Sewell
- Round 2, Pick No. 41 Overall - Washington DT Levi Onwuzurike
Detroit's four remaining draft picks for 2021:
- Round 3, Pick 8 (72 overall)
- Round 3, Pick 38 (101 overall, via the Los Angeles Rams)
- Round 4, Pick 7 (112 overall)
- Round 5, Pick 9 (153 overall)
How to watch 2021 NFL Draft:
- Fri, April 30 (7-11:30 p.m.): Rounds 2 and 3 -- ABC, ESPN, NFL Network, ESPN Deportes, ESPN Radio
- Sat, May 1 (12-7 p.m.): Rounds 4–7 – ABC, ESPN, NFL Network, ESPN Deportes, ESPN Radio
- Online/Streaming: Watch ESPN, YouTube TV, NFL app, Hulu Live TV, Sling TV, fuboTV
