To Levi Onwuzurike, football is a simple game. Especially in the trenches. One on one, best man wins. And Onwuzurike, the defensive tackle from Washington the Lions drafted 41st overall on Friday, really, really likes to win.
"I like fu*king people up. I like to get off the line and just put my helmet or my hands on an O-lineman and fu*k up an offensive scheme. I like pushing them back two, three yards and just making them feel like sh*t," Onwuzurike said.
Well then.
Onwuzurike made a lot of offensive lineman feel like sh*t in the Pac-12. He racked up 79 tackles, including 12.5 tackles for loss over his final two seasons, earning first-team all-conference honors in 2019. He opted out of the 2020 season, which makes him pretty hungry for 2021.
"Sh*t, I’ll hop on the field right now if I have to," he said.
The Lions will benefit from Onwuzurike's mean streak. Their defensive line got pushed around last season, especially on the interior. Onwuzurike doesn't get pushed around. He won't fix the NFL's worst defense by himself, but he'll certainly give Detroit more vigor up front.
His best attributes?
"Get-off and strength," he said. "I think those are the two most important things for a D-lineman, and I got both of those."
After selecting Oregon OT Penei Sewell No. 7 on Friday, a theme is emerging for the Lions. They're building through the trenches. And because football is a simple game, that's just what Onwuzurike wants to hear.
"The trenches are arguably the most important position groups in football," he said. "So I think the Lions are trying to build some shit here, and we got two good-ass parts to build that."