The Detroit Lions, based on their success in the 2023 regular season and potential success in the postseason, will likely draft in the back end of the first round in the upcoming NFL Draft. Detroit will have needs on the defensive side of the football, including at cornerback, the interior of the defensive line and another pass rusher to complement Aidan Hutchinson. Throughout the season, Aaron Glenn’s defense missed having James Houston opposite of Hutchinson, as the pass rush was inconsistent at times.
Houston burst onto the scene last season, recording eight sacks after debuting on Thanksgiving.
In his latest mock draft for ESPN, draft analyst Jordan Reid has the Lions selecting Washington Huskies edge rusher Bralen Trice at No. 28 overall.
“The Lions’ culture is built on toughness, physicality and relentlessness. If there’s one prospect in this class who checks all three boxes, it’s Trice. His game centers around power, and he created first pressure on an FBS-high 71 plays this season,” Reid writes. “Trice also never comes off the field, with a level of effort sure to catch the eyes of GM Brad Holmes and coach Dan Campbell. “With seven sacks in 2023, he could serve as a complementary pass-rusher to Aidan Hutchinson, allowing James Houston to stay fresh in a designated pass-rushing role once healthy.”
In 2023, Trice recorded 78 pressures and recorded a 86.1 Pro Football Focus defensive grade.
Trice was named the Defensive Most Valuable Player at the team’s postseason awards banquet for the second consecutive season. The Huskies enjoyed a deep run in the College Football Playoffs, eventually falling to the Michigan Wolverines, 34-13, at NRG Stadium Monday evening.
