Detroit Lions draft target: Defensive end Tyquan Lewis

Tyquan Lewis lacks the hype of many Buckeye defensive ends. He has a team first attitude and a diverse skill set. the Detroit Lions are interested.

The Detroit Lions have visited with almost every pass rusher in the draft. They are certainly not leaving many trees unchecked for moss. They have hit pro days, the Senior Bowl, the NFL Combine, and had players in for private workouts. One player they met with at the Senior bowl was Ohio State defensive end Tyquan Lewis.

Lewis has been one of the more productive pass rushers in college football over the last three seasons. He has logged 34 sacks in the last three seasons. At 6’3″ 269, he is also one of the few pass rushers in this draft that do not need to pack on weight to play three downs at the NFL level. On paper he looks like someone that should be a day one or two pick.

Lewis will be a day three selection. His most productive season was two years ago. As the Buckeyes have improved the players along the defensive line, he has moved to a lesser role. He has been relegated to a two down defensive end that moves inside on passing downs. To his credit, he has been a very effective pass rusher on the interior. Not all players are able to do both jobs effectively. Lewis did have 9.5 sacks during his senior season.

Lewis lacks the power to play inside full time. He does not hold his ground against the run when playing inside. Lewis likely has a significant future in the league because of his diversity. He is not an incredible athlete, but he is no slouch. His 35.5″ vertical jump and 122″ broad jump at the combine were above average. He ran his 40 in the 4.6s at the Ohio State Pro Day. Those are all good numbers for a man of his size.

Next: Detroit Lions draft target: Lorenzo Carter

Lewis lacks the hype that fellow buckeye Sam Hubbard is getting, but is a much smoother athlete. There are times where a player loses production because he is willing to take one for the team and play a different role. Tyquan Lewis is by all accounts exactly the type of person who would do just that. He takes pride in setting an example for his younger family members and teammates. The Lions met with Lewis at the Reese’s Senior bowl in Mobile. He is an intriguing day three option at defensive end.