In a somewhat thin defensive line class, Levi Onwuzurike was able to assert himself as one of the best interior linemen in the class. The Lions backed that up, making him the second off the board at 41st overall.

Onwuzurike, just like his teammate Joe Tryon, opted out of the COVID shortened 2020 season to prepare himself for the NFL Draft. He still was able to show up for the Senior Bowl in January, which seems to have asserted his stock as one of the best defensive tackles in the class, even though he was only able to participate in one practice due to injury.

At the next level, Onwuzurike should find his way onto the field rather quickly as a pass-rush specialist. As he continues to grow and develop, his elite first-step quickness will make a huge impact on rushing plays as well. He might see some double teams early on with Detriot’s subpar defensive line, but that would do nothing except solidify that he’s an impact player.

Fit Grade: (B-)

The Lions needed a lot of help in their front seven, and taking Onwuzurike will go a long way towards a revamp of their defense. They added Michael Brockers in free agency, and can him with defensive end Trey Flowers.

Detroit was one of the worst defenses overall in football during the 2020 season in terms of pretty much every stat, and Dan Campbell’s kneecap-biting coaching staff is going to ask a lot of him from day one. Campbell is building through the trenches, and this is a great pick to establish that culture he spoke of during his opening press conference.

The only reason this pick gets a B- is because Detroit’s defensive line is incredibly weak. That’s going to make it incredibly tough for Onwuzurike to prove himself as a rookie, but he can be a player on the interior of that line that the Lions can build around long term.