Ranking the 5 best Lions draft classes of the past 30 years
By Matt Urben
2. 1992 NFL Draft
Round Selections: (Overall Pick)
1st. Robert Porcher: DE (26)
2nd. Tracy Scroggins: DE (53)
2nd. Jason Hanson: K (56)
3rd. Thomas McLemore: TE (81)
6th. Larry Tharpe: T (145)
8th. Willie Clay: DB (221)
11th. Ed Tillison: FB (306)
In 1992, the Lions significantly upgraded their pass rush in the first two rounds. Fans will never forget the great Robert Porcher, but it’s Tracy Scroggins that doesn’t get the recognition he deserves for playing an effective ten seasons for Detroit. Scroggins and Porcher combined for 156 total sacks during their NFL careers.
Perhaps the most memorable player from this draft was Jason Hanson, a kicker the Lions somewhat questionably drafted in the second round. Selected just three picks after Scroggins, Hanson became one of the most successful players in Lions history, playing for 19 seasons. The biggest value pick was 8th-round selection, Willie Clay, the former defensive back that picked off 27 passes.
This draft helped Detroit build a team that, despite limited success, helped drive a couple of playoff appearances in the nineties. The Lions netted three defensive studs and a kicker for almost twenty years. Once Matt Millen took over, drafts like this didn’t exist, which makes 1992 stand out all the more.