Detroit Lions Draft TE Michael Roberts In Fourth Round

The Detroit Lions drafted tight end Michael Roberts from Toledo with their second pick in the fourth round of the NFL Draft on Saturday.

The Detroit Lions added another target for Matthew Stafford by drafting tight end Michael Roberts from Toledo with their second pick in the fourth round of the NFL Draft on Saturday.

Roberts did not receive scholarship offers coming out of high school due to his grades but latched on at Toledo, where worked his way into eligibility and he caught 16 touchdowns as a senior in 2016 for the Golden Rockets.

Roberts is a big target, standing 6’4″ and weighing in at 270 pounds. He has 11 1/2″ hands, which is 1/8″ from the NFL Combine record.

Aside from his size and hands, his measurables mostly grade out below average but are still adequate for an athlete of his size. He ran a 4.86 40-yard dash at the Combine and has a 30-inch vertical.

While Robert has all of the tools to be an excellent pass-catcher, particularly in the redzone, but his blocking still needs some work. Lance Zierlein of NFL.com wrote in Robert’s draft profile that Roberts “has NFL size and length,” but added, “Roberts’ tape shows inconsistent effort from a blocking standpoint, but it also shows the strength and ability to handle those chores on the next level.”

The Lions were thought to be in the market for a tight end before the draft, some experts mocking tight ends to Detroit in the first round. Roberts will likely become the Lions’ number-two pass catching tight end, following Eric Ebron and ahead of Cole Wick.

Next: Full Lions Draft Coverage on Detroit Jock City

Unless a trade occurs, the Lions’ next pick will be the 21st pick in the fifth round, 165th overall.