The Lions are building in the trenches.
The club drafted Washington DT Levi Onwuzurike No. 41 overall Friday night, a day after selecting OT Penei Sewell No. 7.
Onwuzurike is an interior bull who should instantly boost a defense that finished last in the NFL last season. He was first-team All-Pac 12 in 2019 when he put up 45 tackles, including six tackles for loss and two sacks, before opting out of the 2020 season.
The man doesn't want for confidence. Asked after his pro day whether he considered himself a first-round pick, Onwuzurike told reporters, "I'm the best D-tackle in the draft. So the best D-tackle in the draft should go in the first round."
What separates him from his peers?
"My get-off, my strong hands and my pass rush," he said. "Those three alone easily separate me from all the others. A lot of those guys can't do what I do, and I can do what they do. One hundred percent, there's a big gap between us."
Onwuzurike was ultimately the second defensive tackle off the board, three picks after Alabama's Christian Barmore went to the Patriots. He's a bit undersized for his position at 6'3, 290 lbs., but plays bigger than his frame.
NFL.com draft analyst Lance Zierlein compares Onwuzurike to longtime NFL starter and former Defensive Rookie of the Year Sheldon Richardson.
"He’s very strong for his size with the ability to anchor down against interior blockers," says Zeirlein. "He's very physical and flashes moments where he is able to control and overwhelm single blocks."
Onwuzurike joins an interior defensive line in Detroit that struggled to generate a pass rush last season, much less stop the run. He should help in both departments.