Lions’ Quinn breaks down team’s nine draft picks
Detroit general manager says it was a good weekend overall for the team
ALLEN PARK, MICH. Detroit Lions general manager Bob Quinn wanted to use the NFL Draft to try and make his roster a little more dynamic.
The three-day draft ended on Saturday and Quinn feels he accomplished that goal with his nine selections.
“Thought it was a really good weekend for us overall as a team,” Quinn said. “Got the team better. “I think (we) elevated our team speed, our athleticism (and) our competitiveness. Those are probably three things that jump out.” Following is a look at Detroit’s nine selections, with background on each and a comment from Quinn.
Round 1 (8th overall): T.J. Hockenson, tight end, University of Iowa, six-foot-five, 250 pounds. Skinny: Considered one of the safest picks in the draft. He was the first sophomore to ever win the John Mackey Award as NCAA’s top tight end. Considered as strong a run blocker as he is a receiver. Quote: “He brings a lot of versatility,” Quinn said. “So, he can score touchdowns, he can catch balls on third down, he can also help in the run game. So, I think he’s a very well-rounded player and that’s one of the reasons we really liked him.” Round 2 (43rd overall): Jahlani Tavai, linebacker, University of Hawaii, six-foot-four, 250 pounds. Skinny: Shoulder injury ended his season after eight games in 2018, but finished second in school history with 391 career tackles. There are questions about his ability to cover and decision making at the point of attack.
Quote: “Really versatile player, four-year starter, two-time captain, very versatile linebacker, can play the run, can rush, can blitz (and) can cover,” Quinn said. “(He’s a) very unique player.” Round 3 (81st overall): Will Harris, safety, Boston College, six-foottwo, 210 pounds.
Skinny: Atlantic Coast Conference third-team all-star has speed (4.41 seconds in 40-yard dash) and strong enough to play in the box, but sometimes looks for the big hit more than to make a play on the ball in coverage.
Quote: “We made a pretty good trade, I thought, to move up a couple spots to secure Will Harris from BC,” said Quinn, who sent a fourth-round pick and sixth-round pick to Minnesota to move up seven spots. “Three-year starter, team captain, versatile guy, playing strength (and) speed.”
Round 4 (118th): Austin Bryant, defensive end, Clemson University, six-foot-six, 280 pounds. Skinny: Overshadowed on a deep defensive line and played with a pectoral muscle injury that kept him out of the combine, but no one questions his strength and agility. Quote: “I think he really showed a lot of toughness playing through the injury,” said Quinn, who regained a sixth-round pick in a deal to move back six spots in the fourth round. “I was pleasantly surprised that we were able to take him there.”
Round 5 (146th overall): Amani Oruwariye, cornerback, Penn State University, six-foot-two, 205 pounds.
Skinny: First-team all-Big Ten that some had going in the first round. Has size, long arms and can dominate in downfield coverage, but his toughness at the line questioned. Quote: “I’m never going to say any of our draft picks are going to come in and start,” Quinn said. “Does he have starter talent? Well, I don’t know. Maybe. I hope so.”
Round 6 (184th overall): Travis Fulgham, wide receiver, Old Dominion University, six-foot-two, 215 pounds.
Skinny: Jump ball receiver with good body control who can play physical, but lacks separation speed.
Quote: “I think it’s like we talked about, the versatility and the length and the size is one thing that we kind of made a conscience effort at this year,” Quinn said. Round 6 (186th overall): Ty Johnson, running back, University of Maryland, five-foot-10, 208 pounds.
Skinny: Had over 4,000 all-purpose yards in his collegiate career, had an unofficial 4.3 time in the 40-yard dash at the team’s pro day and could fit in the return game, but was never able to secure the starting job in his four years at Maryland.
Quote: “Just trying to get good football players that are competitive, they love the game, they want to come in here and compete,” Quinn said.
Round 7 (224th overall): Isaac Nauta, tight end, University of Georgia, six-foot-four, 240 pounds. Skinny: Considered a quality blocker, but did not impress at the NFL Combine with a 4.91 time in the 40-yard dash and just 28 inches on his vertical jump.
Quote: “Did a good workout with him, had a good meeting with him, and just on the board at that time, he was sticking out like a sore thumb,” Quinn said. “So, we just felt like just a really, really good value.”
Round 7 (229th overall): P.J. Johnson, defensive tackle, University of Arizona, six-foot-four, 334 pounds. Skinny: Athletic for his size and a solid run stopper who can play outside as well as inside, but the junior college transfer spent just one season at Arizona.
Quote: “Interesting guy,” Quinn said. “Big guy, athletic, multiple position guy up front: nose guard, five-technique, three-technique: you’ll see him all over the place.”