Detroit Lions: 30 Best Draft Picks in Team History
By Eli Kaplan
16. Robert Porcher – (defensive end) – Another “Lion for lifer”, Robert Porcher may have come from a small time school, but he was a big time player.
After excelling in college at South Carolina State, Porcher was selected by the Lions with the 26th overall pick of the 1992 draft. He would go on to play his entire career with Detroit, eventually retiring in 2004.
In between, Porcher built a terrific career for himself as a very talented and productive defensive end. Porcher was selected to the Pro Bowl on three separate occasions. He finished his career with 603 total tackles and a Lions record 95.5 quarterback sacks. Porcher’s 15 sacks in 1999, are also the most in any one Lions season (as recognized by the NFL). He also managed to record double-digit sack totals in a Lions record four consecutive season.
Porcher’s individual success also often translated to team success, as the Lions made the playoffs on five different occasions during his career (which is pretty impressive for a modern day Lion). Okay, the Lions lost every playoff game during that stretch. But still…
If prior players on this list like Raiola, Glover, and Backus, were consistently reliable, Porcher made a career for himself that proved to be consistently impressive.
Next: Number 15