Detroit Lions trade into fourth round for Da’Shawn Hand

The Detroit Lions have made their fourth pick of the 2018 NFL Draft, choosing Alabama defensive end Da’Shawn Hand in the fourth round.

The Detroit Lions traded away their fourth round pick to move up in the second round to draft running back Kerryon Johnson. However, they come away with a fourth round pick anyway after trading into the fourth round.

Who: Da’Shawn Hand
What: Defensive lineman
Where: Alabama
When: Round 4, Pick 14 (114 overall)
Why: And the Lions finally draft someone on the defensive line! It’s a pick that definitely addresses a need but it’s also a good value. Hand was considered by many to be a day two pick with the fourth round on the lower end of his draft projections.

Hand is listed as a defensive end but fits there more as a 3-4 end with some ability to play inside. The Lions will likely move him around in looks as both a 5-technique and a 3-technique.

To make the pick the Lions traded their 2019 third round pick to the New England Patriots. The price to give up a pick one round earlier in the next draft is a very standard price to pay. It was also an easy price for the Lions to meet because they held not only all their original picks for 2019 but also additional picks in the fifth and sixth round due to previous trades (Laken Tomlinson and Johnson Bademosi). The Lions are also currently projected to add a compensatory pick in the sixth round for losing Darren Fells in this free agency period.

Hand was heavily recruited by Michigan but ultimately chose Alabama instead. He was recruited to Alabama by Bo Davis, who is now the Lions defensive line coach.

Next: Full Lions draft coverage on Detroit Jock City

Barring another trade, the Lions’ next pick is the 16th pick in the fifth round, 153 overall.